The citric acid cycle is

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The citric acid cycle is

The citric acid cycle is a series of enzymatic reactions that oxidizes acetyl-CoA to CO2 while capturing energy in the form of NADH, FADH2, and a small amount of ATP/GTP. In eukaryotic cells it takes place in the mitochondrial matrix as part of aerobic metabolism, with eight distinct steps each driven by a specific enzyme. The energy carriers produced feed into the electron transport chain to drive further ATP production. It is not a single protein that transports electrons, nor does it occur in the nucleus. It isn’t an exclusively anaerobic process; oxygen isn’t used directly in the cycle, but the cycle relies on the electron transport chain to reoxidize NADH and FADH2, which requires oxygen to keep going. So describing it as a series of chemical reactions captures what it is.

The citric acid cycle is a series of enzymatic reactions that oxidizes acetyl-CoA to CO2 while capturing energy in the form of NADH, FADH2, and a small amount of ATP/GTP. In eukaryotic cells it takes place in the mitochondrial matrix as part of aerobic metabolism, with eight distinct steps each driven by a specific enzyme. The energy carriers produced feed into the electron transport chain to drive further ATP production. It is not a single protein that transports electrons, nor does it occur in the nucleus. It isn’t an exclusively anaerobic process; oxygen isn’t used directly in the cycle, but the cycle relies on the electron transport chain to reoxidize NADH and FADH2, which requires oxygen to keep going. So describing it as a series of chemical reactions captures what it is.

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