In: Biology
Briefly explain the steps by which the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex converts pyruvate to acetyl CoA and deposits it in the mitochondrial matrix. What cofactors are used, what are the products formed? How is the complex activity regulated?
Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is a multi enzyme complex required for transport of pyruvate from cytosol to mitochondrial matrix, but during this transfer pyruvate is converted into acetyl coA. This multi enzyme complex system rewrequi three enzymes and their cofactors.
E1:- Pyruvate dehydrogenase enzyme and requires cofactor thymine pyrophosphate (TPP).
E2:- Dihydrolipoyl transacetylase and requires cofactors lipoamide and coenzyme A will be used as prosthetic group.
E3:- Dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase requires cofactors flavin adenine di nucleotide (FAD) and Nicotinamide adenine di nucleotide (NAD).
Regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex
As it requires NAD, ATP, coenzyme A maintenance of ratio is highly important, because change in ratio may alter the process.
Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase are allosteric inhibitors of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.
Products are NADH and Acetyl coA molecule is formed.