Question

Where in the human body does pyruvate undergo aerobic breakdown?

• A. Nucleus
• B. Mitochondria
• C. Cytoplasm
• D. Muscles

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Mitochondria

• The majority of archaea, eukaryotes, and bacteria break down glucose using a process known as glycolysis.

• It is in charge of generating compounds that serve as precursors for the metabolic processes carried out inside cells as well as energy and reduced electron carriers.

• Pyruvate can go through either aerobic or anaerobic respiration after glycolysis to go through additional breakdown and release more energy.

• The breakdown of pyruvate using O₂ takes place in the mitochondria matrix.

• When glucose gets converted to pyruvate by glycolysis, only a small fraction of the total free energy potentially available from the glucose is released.

• In mitochondria, when the metabolism of sugars is completed: the pyruvate is imported into the mitochondria and oxidized by O₂ to CO2 and H2O.

• When oxygen is present, pyruvate enters the Krebs cycle in the mitochondria where it is broken down anaerobically.

• This allows 15 times more ATP to be made as compared to that produced by glycolysis alone.