Biochemistry : Citric Acid Cycle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 :Citric Acid Cycle Carbohydrate Intermediates

There are at least four types of glucose transporter in the body. GLUT1 and GLUT3 are located in most tissues including the brain and the red blood cells. These glucose transporters rapidly take up glucose from the blood but have the lowestvalue. GLUT2 is commonly found in the liver and the pancreas. GLUT2 has a lower affinity for glucose but has the highestvalue. GLUT4 is common in skeletal tissues and in adipose tissues. This transporter is normally not active for uptake unless stimulated by insulin or during exercise.

During strenuous exercise, GLUT4 will be highly active. Which of the following intermediates will also increase?

I. Pyruvate

II.

III. ADP

Possible Answers:

II and III

I and II

II only

III only

I only

Correct answer:

I and II

Explanation:

During strenuous exercise, GLUT4 will be active to bring glucose into the cell. Glucose is then pushed through glycolysis to generate pyruvate. Pyruvate is then pushed through pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, where it is converted into acetyl-CoA, which feeds into the Krebs cycle (assuming aerobic conditions) to generate ATP, NADH,, and carbon dioxide.

Example Question #2 :Citric Acid Cycle Carbohydrate Intermediates

Which of the following Krebs cycle intermediate molecules can be used directly in another pathway to make fatty acids?

Possible Answers:

Aspartate

Oxaloacetate

Alpha-ketoglutarate

Succinyl-CoA

Citrate

Correct answer:

Citrate

Explanation:

Most of the intermediate molecules in the Krebs cycle can, rather than continuing through the cycle itself, go through other pathways to form macromolecules. Citrate can be used to create fatty acids and sterols. Alph-ketoglutarate can be used to make some of the amino acids. Succinyl-CoA can be used to make porphyrins, heme, and chlorophyll. Aspartate can be used to make some of the amino acids. Oxaloacetate can be used in gluconeogenesis to create glucose.

Example Question #941 :Biochemistry

How many atoms of carbon are present in the citric acid cycle intermediate, fumarate?

Possible Answers:

3

4

2

6

1

Correct answer:

4

Explanation:

The citric acid cycle intermediate,fumarate, containsfouratoms of carbon.

As a frame of reference, one molecule ofglucose, the starting material for glycolysis, containssixatoms of carbon. The carbohydrate products of glycolysis are two molecules of pyruvate, with one molecule ofpyruvatecontainingthreeatoms of carbon.

In preparation for entering the citric acid cycle, pyruvate loses one molecule of carbon dioxide, and therefore one molecule of carbon, to formacetyl-CoA, which containstwoatoms of carbon. Acetyl-CoA is then combined with a molecule ofoxaloacetate, which containsfouratoms of carbon, to produce a molecule ofcitrate, which containssixatoms of carbon, and is the starting point for the citric acid cycle.

Citrate undergoes a number of a reactions, via the citric acid cycle, most notably two reactions in which a single molecule of carbon dioxide, and therefore carbon, is lost, thereby decreasing the total number of carbons tofour atoms.两个反应去除碳是有限公司nversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate and the conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA. No additional carbons are removed prior to the production of fumarate, and therefore, fumarate containsfouratoms of carbon.

Example Question #942 :Biochemistry

How many molecules of carbon are present in the citric acid cycle intermediate, malate?

Possible Answers:

3

4

6

1

2

Correct answer:

4

Explanation:

The citric acid cycle intermediate,malate, containsfouratoms of carbon.

A singleglucosemolecule, which is the starting material for glycolysis, containssixcarbon atoms. Glycolysis produces two pyruvate molecules, and onepyruvatemolecule containsthreecarbon atoms.

Prior to entering the citric acid cycle, pyruvate loses one carbon dioxide molecule (e.g. one carbon atom), formingacetyl-CoA, which containstwocarbon atoms. Acetyl-CoA then combines with oneoxaloacetatemolecule, afour-carbon molecule, to produce a molecule ofcitrate, which containssixcarbon atoms, and is the starting material for the citric acid cycle.

Citrate undergoes a number of a reactions in the citric acid cycle, including two reactions where one atom of carbon dioxide (e.g. carbon) is lost, which decreases the total number of carbons tofouratoms. The two reactions that remove carbons are the conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate and the conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA. No additional carbons are removed prior to the production of malate. Therefore, malate containsfouratoms of carbon.

Example Question #1 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Which of the following statements about the citric acid cycle is true?

Possible Answers:

Two equivalents ofare produced in the cycle

There is only one decarboxylation in the cycle

Acetyl-CoA is one of the compounds in the cycle

None of the other answers are true

Isocitrate is one of the compounds in the cycle

Correct answer:

Isocitrate is one of the compounds in the cycle

Explanation:

Acetyl-CoA is not part of the cycle but is oxidized by it. There are two decarboxylations in the cycle, from isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate, and from alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA. In total, three equivalents ofare produced in the cycle. Isocitrate is a compound in the cycle, produced from citrate.

Example Question #2 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Which of the following steps in the citric acid cycle do not have a largely negative?

Possible Answers:

None of these reactions have largely negativevalues

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Even though anis generated when malate is dehydrogenated to oxaloacetate, this oxidation is very unfavorable because of the addition of a reactive ketone in place of an alcohol on the 2nd carbon. In fact, the only way this reaction can proceed is if oxaloacetate concentration is very low. All of the other reactions have large negativevalues.

Example Question #3 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Which reaction of the citric acid cycle makes the entire process unidirectional (i.e. irreversible)?

Possible Answers:

Succinyl-CoAmalate

Alpha-ketoglutaratesuccinyl-CoA

Isocitratealpha-ketoglutarate

Citrateisocitrate

Succinatefumarate

Correct answer:

Isocitratealpha-ketoglutarate

Explanation:

The formation of alpha-ketoglutarate from isocitrate using the enzyme alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase is an irreversible reaction due to its largely negativevalue.

Example Question #4 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Suppose that in a certain neuron, an action potential has causedions to enter the cell. In order to restore the resting membrane potential, the sodium-potassium pump uses 1 molecule of ATP to pushions out of the cell and to bringions into the cell. How many molecules of acetyl-CoA must pass through the citric acid cycle in order to provide enough energy for this process to occur?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This question is providing us with a scenario in whichions enter a cell. We're further told that it will take a single molecule of ATP to move three of these ions out of the cell. Finally, we are being asked to determine the total number of acetyl-CoA molecules that must pass through the Krebs cycle in order to provide the energy necessary for the export of theseions.

First, we'll need to determine the total number of ATP molecules generated from the passage of a single molecule of acetyl-CoA through the Krebs cycle. It's important to remember that the passage of acetyl-CoA through the Krebs cycle generates one molecule of ATP directly by substrate-level phosphorylation, but it also produces other intermediate energy carriers in the form ofand

For each acetyl-CoA ran through the cycle, one molecule ofand three molecules ofare produced. Furthermore, each molecule ofwill go on to donate its electrons to the electron transport chain to generatemolecules of ATP per molecule ofoxidized. Likewise, eachwill also produce ATP via oxidative phosphorylation, but at a rate ofmolecules of ATP per molecule ofoxidized.

Adding these up, we obtain:

ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation

Adding these values up, we have a total ofmolecules of ATP produced for every molecule of acetyl-CoA oxidized. Now that we know how much ATP is produced from one acetyl-CoA, we can calculate the number needed to move theions out of the cell.

Example Question #5 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Which of the following steps within the citric acid cycle directly produces ATP (or GTP) as a side product?

Possible Answers:

The conversion of citrate to cis-aconitate

The conversion of malate to oxaloacetate

The conversion of fumarate to malate

The conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA

The conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate

Correct answer:

The conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate

Explanation:

The only step of the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle, or the TCA cycle) thatdirectlyproduces ATP or GTP is the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.

In this reaction, succinyl-CoA is converted to succinate with the assistance of the enzyme, succinyl-CoA synthetase. During this reaction, ADP + Pi (or GDP + Pi) is also converted to ATP (or GTP) using the energy from the breaking of the bond between CoA and succinate. Thus, the overall reaction appears as:

While side products of some of the other reactions listed produce intermediaries that may be used to produce ATP in the future, these reactions do notdirectlyproduce ATP.

Example Question #6 :Citric Acid Cycle Energetics

Which of the following steps within the citric acid cycle doesnotproduceas a side product?

Possible Answers:

The conversion of malate to oxaloacetate

The conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate

The conversion of fumarate to malate

The conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate to succinyl-CoA

All of these steps produce

Correct answer:

The conversion of fumarate to malate

Explanation:

The only citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle) step listed that does not result in the production ofas a side product is the conversion of fumarate to malate.

In the conversion of fumarate to malate, fumarate is chemically combined with water in the presence of the enzyme fumarase to produce malate. In this conversion, there is no concomitant production of

In each of the other reactions listed,is converted toandas side products.

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