Fates of Pyruvate

Pyruvate organization

Fermentation

anaerobic respiration (no oxygen)

Fermentation and ATP

no net production of ATP

Fermentation and NAD+

regenerates NAD+ to allow glycolysis to continue

Lactic acid fermentation

occurs in some animals w/ low oxygen

Lactic Acid fermentation pathway

pyruvate → lactate (NADH comes in and NAD+ is released)

Alcohol fermentation

occurs in anaerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobes

Alcohol fermentation

Pyruvate → Acetaldehyde → Ethanol (first arrow: CO2 exits) (second arrow: NADH enters, NAD+ exits)

Pyruvate Oxidation/Processing

Pyruvate enters mitochondria and is converted to Acetyl CoA

Byproduct of Pyruvate Processing

CO2 and NADH

Mitochondria Drawing

Net results of Pyr Processing

2 CO2 and 2 NADH

Pyr. Processing Pathway

Pyruvate converted to Acetyl CoA via Pyr.-DH (CoA and NAD+ enters; CO2 and NADH exits)