Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of oxygen in the oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl CoA? A) The oxygen is released during the reaction. B) The oxygen is required to react with pyruvate. C) The oxygen makes HS-CoA more reactive. D) The oxygen regenerates NAD+ from NADH. E) The oxygen reacts with H⁺.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Oxygen is not directly involved in the oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, but rather plays a role in the regeneration of NAD+ from NADH. During this process, NADH is oxidized to NAD+ by donating electrons to an electron transport chain, which ultimately transfers those electrons to oxygen. This allows NAD+ to be available for future rounds of glycolysis and the oxidation of pyruvate.

Which of the Following Statements Best Describes the Purpose of Oxygen