BRAINCAKEThe Link Reaction
When oxygen is available, the pyruvate from glycolysis is actively transported into the mitochondrial matrix, where the link reaction takes place. It links glycolysis to the Krebs cycle.
In the link reaction, each pyruvate (3C) is:
• decarboxylated: a carbon atom is removed as carbon dioxide;
• dehydrogenated: hydrogen is removed and accepted by NAD, forming reduced NAD.
This leaves a 2-carbon acetyl group (acetate), which combines with coenzyme A to form acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl CoA). Coenzyme A carries the acetyl group into the Krebs cycle.
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Key terms in this lesson
- mitochondrial matrix
- The fluid inside the inner mitochondrial membrane, containing the enzymes of the link reaction and Krebs cycle, coenzymes and mitochondrial DNA.
More in Cellular Respiration
- Sprint Athletes
- Anaerobic Respiration in Plants and Fungi
- Discovery of Glycolysis
- Aerobic Respiration: Summary
- The Krebs Cycle
- The Electron Transport Chain
- Chemiosmosis
- Net Gain of ATP
All 20 lessons in Cellular Respiration · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics