Question

How would cellular respiration differ between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?

Describe the various changes that occur to pyruvate in pyruvate oxidation. State the reactions.

Give the overall chemical equation for pyruvate oxidation.

Please, i would appreciate an answer in a text form not handwritten. thank you

Answer 1

1) All living cells carry out the process of cellular respiration. It can be aerobic respiration in the presence of oxygen or anaerobic respiration. Prokaryotic cells carry out cellular respiration within the cytoplasm or on the inner surfaces of the cells and eukaryotic cells carry out cellular respiration in the mitochondria, which are the site of most of the reactions.

2) There are three changes to pyruvate in pyruvate oxidation.

1. A CO2 portion is removed.

2. NAD+ is reduced by two Hydrogen atoms obtained from food.

3. Coenzyme A is attached to the remaining acetic acid portion.

2 pyruvate + 2 NAD+ + 2 CoA -> 2 acetyl-CoA + 2 NADH + 2 H+ +2 CO2.

Step 1. A carboxyl group is cut off of pyruvate and released as a molecule of carbon dioxide, which leaves behind a two-carbon molecule.

Step 2. The two-carbon molecule from step 1 is oxidized and the electrons lost in the process of oxidation, which are picked up NAD​+​​ to form NADH.

Step 3. The oxidized two-carbon molecule an acetyl group. It attaches with Coenzyme A an organic molecule, which is derived from vitamin B5 to form acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA is sometimes known as a carrier molecule and it carries the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle.