Pyruvate

Pyruvate is the anionic form of pyruvic acid. It is also a major biological molecule.

Structure of pyruvate

Pyruvate is a α-keto-acid with the structure CH₃-CO-COOH, which has a carboxylic acid (COOH) group and ketone group.

Function of pyruvate

Pyruvate is a metabolite involved in a large number of biological processes:

• Firstly, the Krebs cycle: pyruvate is decarboxylated by a multi-enzyme complex into acetyl-coenzyme A, a molecule involved in the first stage of the Krebs cycle;
• Secondly, glycolysis: pyruvate is the final product of glycolysis (two pyruvate molecules are formed from a glucose molecule). Thridly, they are obtained from the dephosphorylation of PEP (phosphoenolpyruvate) and transfer phosphate to an ADP molecule to form an ADP molecule.
• Lastly, gluconeogenesis: pyruvate is converted into oxaloacetate by pyruvate carboxylase.