link reaction

• • after glycolysis, left with 2 pyruvates
• • pyruvate moves from cytoplasm to matrix via active transport
• • pyruvate loses a carbon in the form of CO2 (decarboxylation)
• • pyruvate forms acetate
• • CoA added to acetate and makes acetyl CoA
• • Pyruvate loses a hydrogen (oxidised)
• • hydrogen lost from pyruvate transfers to NAD forming NADH
• steps

  1. pyruvate
  2. acetate
  3. acetyl CoA