What is oxidative decarboxylation?

Oxidative decarboxylation is a specific type of reaction that primarily occurs during cellular respiration, particularly in the transition phase of converting pyruvate to acetyl-CoA before entering the citric acid cycle. During this process, one carbon atom is removed from the pyruvate molecule in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is then released as a byproduct. At the same time, the remaining two-carbon fragment is oxidized, which involves the transfer of electrons to NAD+, forming NADH.

This reaction is significant because it connects glycolysis, where glucose is initially broken down into pyruvate, to the Krebs cycle, allowing for the efficient generation of energy. Therefore, the term oxidative decarboxylation captures both the oxidation of the substrate and the removal of carbon in the form of CO2 in this critical metabolic pathway.