TCA cycle- steps, regulation and significance

TCA CYCLE
STEPS
REGULATION AND
SIGNIFICANCE
Biochemistry for Medics
www.namrata.co
01/21/14

Biochemistry for medics

1

Introduction
The citric acid cycle is the central
metabolic hub of the cell.
 It is the final common pathway for the
oxidation of fuel molecule such as amino
acids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates.
In eukaryotes, the reactions of the citric
acid cycle take place inside mitochondria, in
contrast with those of glycolysis, which take
place in the cytosol.

Overview of the Citric Acid Cycle
The citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle, tricarboxylic
acid cycle) includes a series of oxidationreduction reactions in mitochondria that
result in the oxidation of an acetyl group to
two molecules of carbon dioxide and reduce
the coenzymes that are reoxidized through
the electron transport chain, linked to the
formation of ATP.
01/21/14


3

• A fourcarbon compound (oxaloacetate) condenses
with a two-carbon acetyl unit to yield a six-carbon
tricarboxylic acid (citrate).
• An isomer of citrate is then oxidatively decarboxylated.
• The resulting five-carbon compound (α-ketoglutarate)
also is oxidatively decarboxylated to yield a four
carbon compound (succinate).
• Oxaloacetate is then regenerated from succinate.
• Two carbon atoms enter the cycle as an acetyl unit and
two carbon atoms leave the cycle in the form of two
molecules of carbon dioxide.
01/21/14


4


01/21/14

o Three hydride ions (hence, six
electrons) are transferred to
three molecules of
nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide (NAD+), whereas
one pair of hydrogen atoms
(hence, two electrons) are
transferred to one molecule of
flavin adenine dinucleotide
(FAD) .
o The function of the citric acid
cycle is the harvesting of highenergy electrons from carbon
fuels.
5

Citric acid cycle and requirement of
oxygen

Oxygen is required for the citric acid cycle indirectly in as
much as it is the electron acceptor at the end of the electrontransport chain, necessary to regenerate NAD+ and FAD.
01/21/14


6

Citric acid cycle and requirement
of oxygen (contd.)
o The citric acid cycle itself neither generates a large amount of
ATP nor includes oxygen as a reactant.
o Instead, the citric acid cycle removes electrons from acetyl
CoA and uses these electrons to form NADH and FADH2 .
o In oxidative phosphorylation, electrons released in the
reoxidation of NADH and FADH2 flow through a series of
membrane proteins (referred to as the electron-transport
chain) to generate a proton gradient across the membrane
o The citric acid cycle, in conjunction with oxidative
phosphorylation, provides the vast majority of energy used by
aerobic cells in human beings, greater than 95%.
01/21/14


7

Role of oxaloacetate in citric acid
cycle
• The four-carbon molecule, oxaloacetate that
initiates the first step in the citric acid cycle is
regenerated at the end of one passage
through the cycle.
• The oxaloacetate acts catalytically: it
participates in the oxidation of the acetyl
group but is itself regenerated.
• Thus, one molecule of oxaloacetate is capable
of participating in the oxidation of many
acetyl molecules.

01/21/14


8

Reactions of the Citric Acid Cycle
• Step-1 Formation of Citrate- The citric acid
cycle begins with the condensation of a fourcarbon unit, oxaloacetate, and a two-carbon
unit, the acetyl group of acetyl CoA.
Oxaloacetate reacts with acetyl CoA and H2O
to yield citrate and CoA.
• This reaction, which is an aldol condensation
followed by a hydrolysis, is catalyzed by
citrate synthase.
01/21/14


9

Step-1-Formation of Citrate

Oxaloacetate first condenses with acetyl CoA
to form citryl CoA, which is then hydrolyzed to
citrate and CoA.

01/21/14


10

Step-2-Formation of Isocitrate
• Citrate is isomerized into isocitrate to enable
the six-carbon unit to undergo oxidative
decarboxylation.
• The isomerization of citrate is accomplished by
a dehydration step followed by a hydration
step.
• The result is an interchange of a hydrogen
atom and a hydroxyl group.
• The enzyme catalyzing both steps is called
Aconitase because cis-aconitate is an
intermediate.
01/21/14


11

(contd.)

Aconitase is an iron-sulfur protein, or nonheme iron
protein. It contains four iron atoms that are not
incorporated as part of a heme group.
01/21/14


12

(contd.)
• The poison Fluoroacetate is toxic, because
fluoroacetyl-CoA condenses with oxaloacetate
to form fluorocitrate, which inhibits
Aconitase, causing citrate to accumulate.
• The mode of inhibition is suicidal inhibition

01/21/14


13

Step-3- Formation of α- Keto
Glutarate
• Isocitrate undergoes dehydrogenation catalyzed by
isocitrate dehydrogenase to form, initially, Oxalo
succinate, which remains enzyme-bound and
undergoes decarboxylation to α -ketoglutarate.
• The decarboxylation requires Mg++ or Mn++ ions.
• There are three isoenzymes of isocitrate
dehydrogenase.
• One, which uses NAD+, is found only in mitochondria.
• The other two use NADP+ and are found in
mitochondria and the cytosol.
01/21/14


14

Step-3- Formation of α- Keto
Glutarate (contd.)

Respiratory chain-linked oxidation of
isocitrate proceeds almost completely
through the NAD+-dependent enzyme.
01/21/14


15

Step-4-Formation of Succinyl Co A

The conversion of isocitrate into αketoglutarate is followed by a second
oxidative decarboxylation reaction, the
formation of Succinyl CoA from αketoglutarate.

01/21/14


16

Step-4-Formation of Succinyl
Co A(contd.)
o α-Ketoglutarate undergoes oxidative
decarboxylation in a reaction catalyzed by a
multi-enzyme complex similar to that involved
in the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate.
o The α--ketoglutarate dehydrogenase
complex requires the same cofactors as the
pyruvate dehydrogenase complex—thiamine
diphosphate, lipoate, NAD+, FAD, and CoA—
and results in the formation of succinyl-CoA.
01/21/14


17

Step-4-Formation of Succinyl Co A
• The equilibrium of this reaction is so much in
favor of succinyl-CoA formation that it must
be considered to be physiologically
unidirectional.
• As in the case of pyruvate oxidation, arsenite
inhibits the reaction, causing the substrate, α
-ketoglutarate, to accumulate.

01/21/14


18

Step-5- Formation of Succinate
• Succinyl CoA is an energy-rich thioester
compound
• The cleavage of the thioester bond of succinyl
CoA is coupled to the phosphorylation of a
purine nucleoside diphosphate, usually GDP.
• This reaction is catalyzed by succinyl CoA
synthetase (succinate thiokinase).

01/21/14


19


o This is the only example in the citric acid cycle of
substrate level phosphorylation.
o Tissues in which gluconeogenesis occurs (the liver
and kidney) contain two isoenzymes of succinate
thiokinase, one specific for GDP and the other for
ADP
01/21/14

20

• The GTP formed is used for the
decarboxylation of oxaloacetate to
phosphoenolpyruvate in gluconeogenesis, and
provides a regulatory link between citric acid
cycle activity and the withdrawal of
oxaloacetate for gluconeogenesis.
Nongluconeogenic tissues have only the
isoenzyme that uses ADP.
01/21/14


21

Step-6- Formation of Fumarate
• The first dehydrogenation reaction, forming
fumarate, is catalyzed by succinate
dehydrogenase, which is bound to the inner
surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane.
• The enzyme contains FAD and iron-sulfur
(Fe:S) protein, and directly reduces
ubiquinone in the electron transport chain.

01/21/14


22

Step-7- Formation of Malate
Fumarase (fumarate
hydratase) catalyzes
the addition of water
across the double
bond of fumarate,
yielding malate.

01/21/14


23

Step-8- Regeneration of oxaloacetate
• Malate is converted to oxaloacetate by
malate dehydrogenase, a reaction requiring
NAD+.
• Although the equilibrium of this reaction
strongly favors malate, the net flux is to
oxaloacetate because of the continual
removal of oxaloacetate (to form citrate, as a
substrate for gluconeogenesis, or to undergo
transamination to aspartate) and also the
continual reoxidation of NADH.

01/21/14


24

Step-8- Regeneration of oxaloacetate

01/21/14


25

TCA CYCLE

01/21/14


26

Energy yield per Acetyl co A per turn
of cycle
• As a result of oxidations catalyzed by the dehydrogenases of
the citric acid cycle, three molecules of NADH and one of
FADH2 are produced for each molecule of acetyl-CoA
catabolized in one turn of the cycle.
• These reducing equivalents are transferred to the respiratory
chain, where reoxidation of each NADH results in formation
of 3, and 2 ATP of FADH2.
• Consequently, 11 high-transfer-potential phosphoryl groups
are generated when the electron-transport chain oxidizes 3
molecules of NADH and 1 molecule of FADH2,
• In addition, 1 ATP (or GTP) is formed by substrate-level
phosphorylation catalyzed by succinate thiokinase.
01/21/14


27

Energy yield per Acetyl co A per turn
of cycle
• 1 acetate unit generates approximately 12 molecules
of ATP.
• In dramatic contrast, only 2 molecules of ATP are
generated per molecule of glucose (which generates
2 molecules of acetyl CoA) by anaerobic glycolysis.
• Molecular oxygen does not participate directly in the
citric acid cycle.
• However, the cycle operates only under aerobic
conditions because NAD+ and FAD can be
regenerated in the mitochondrion only by the
transfer of electrons to molecular oxygen.

01/21/14


28

Regulation of the TCA cycle
• Regulation of the TCA cycle like that of
glycolysis occurs at both the level of entry of
substrates into the cycle as well as at the key
reactions of the cycle.
• Fuel enters the TCA cycle primarily as acetylCoA. The generation of acetyl-CoA from
carbohydrates is, therefore, a major control
point of the cycle.
• This is the reaction catalyzed by the PDH
complex.
01/21/14


29

Regulation of the TCA cycle (contd.)
1) Regulation of PDH Complex
a) Allosteric modification-PDH complex is inhibited by acetylCoA and NADH and activated by non-acetylated CoA
(CoASH) and NAD+.
b) Covalent modification-The pyruvate dehydrogenase
activities of the PDH complex are regulated by their state of
phosphorylation. This modification is carried out by a
specific kinase (PDH kinase) and the phosphates are
removed by a specific phosphatase (PDH phosphatase).
PDH kinase is activated by NADH and acetyl-CoA and
inhibited by pyruvate, ADP, CoASH, Ca2+ and Mg2+.
The PDH phosphatase, in contrast, is activated by Mg2+ and
01/21/14 Ca2+.
30

Regulation of the TCA cycle (contd.)
2) Regulation of TCA cycle enzymes
The most likely sites for regulations are the
nonequilibrium reactions catalyzed citrate
synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and αketoglutarate dehydrogenase. The
dehydrogenases are activated by Ca2+,
which increases in concentration during
muscular contraction and secretion, when
there is increased energy demand.
01/21/14


31

Regulation of TCA cycle enzymes
a) Citrate synthase- There is allosteric inhibition
of citrate synthase by ATP and long-chain fatty
acyl-CoA.
b) Isocitrate dehydrogenase- is allosterically
stimulated by ADP, which enhances the
enzyme's affinity for substrates. In contrast,
NADH inhibits iso-citrate dehydrogenase by
directly displacing NAD+. ATP, too, is
inhibitory.
01/21/14


32

Regulation of TCA cycle enzymes
c) α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase -α- Ketoglutarate
dehydrogenase is inhibited by succinyl CoA and
NADH. In addition, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase is
inhibited by a high energy charge. Thus, the rate of
the cycle is reduced when the cell has a high level of
ATP.
d) Succinate dehydrogenase is inhibited by
oxaloacetate, and the availability of oxaloacetate, as
controlled by malate dehydrogenase, depends on
the [NADH]/[NAD+] ratio.
01/21/14


33

TCA cycle and cellular ratio of
NAD+/NADH
• Since three reactions of the TCA cycle as well as PDH utilize
NAD+ as co-factor, the cellular ratio of NAD+/NADH has a major
impact on the flux of carbon through the TCA cycle.
• The activity of TCA cycle is immediately dependent on the
supply of NAD+, which in turn, because of the tight coupling
between oxidation and phosphorylation, is dependent on the
availability of ADP and hence, ultimately on the rate of
utilization of ATP in chemical and physical work.
• Thus, respiratory control via the respiratory chain and
oxidative phosphorylation primarily regulates citric acid cycle
activity.
01/21/14


34

Regulation of TCA cycle- Summary
Excess of ATP
depicts energy rich
state of the cell,
hence TCA cycle is
inhibited while
reverse occurs
when the cell is in
a low energy state
with excess of
ADP.
01/21/14


35

Significance of TCA Cycle
• The citric acid cycle is not only a pathway for
oxidation of two-carbon units, but is also a
major pathway for interconversion of
metabolites arising from transamination and
deamination of amino acids, and providing
the substrates for amino acid synthesis by
transamination, as well as for
gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis.
• Because it functions in both oxidative and
synthetic processes, it is amphibolic.
01/21/14


36

A) Catabolic role OF TCA Cycle
• The citric acid cycle is the final common
pathway for the oxidation of carbohydrate,
lipid, and protein because glucose, fatty acids,
and most amino acids are metabolized to
acetyl-CoA or intermediates of the cycle.
• The function of the citric acid cycle is the
harvesting of high-energy electrons from
carbon fuels.
• 1 acetate unit generates approximately 12
molecules of ATP per turn of the cycle.

01/21/14


37

B) Anabolic role of TCA cycle
• As a major metabolic hub of the cell, the citric
acid cycle also provides intermediates for
biosynthesis of various compounds.
• i) Role in Gluconeogenesis- All the
intermediates of the cycle are potentially
glucogenic, since they can give rise to
oxaloacetate, and hence net production of
glucose (in the liver and kidney, the organs
that carry out gluconeogenesis.
01/21/14


38

B) Anabolic role of TCA cycle
Role in gluconeogenesis

• The key enzyme that catalyzes net transfer out of the
cycle into gluconeogenesis is phospho-enol-pyruvate
carboxy kinase, which catalyzes the decarboxylation
of oxaloacetate to phosphoenolpyruvate, with GTP
acting as the phosphate donor.
01/21/14


39

ii) Role in synthesis of nonessential
amino acids

Since the transamination reactions are reversible, the cycle
also serves as a source of carbon skeletons for the synthesis
of some amino acids like Alanine, aspartate, Asparagine
Glutamate , glutamine etc.

01/21/14


40

Role of TCA cycle in the synthesis of
amino acids
Role of TCA cycle in the
synthesis of amino acids

Aspartic acid is a precursor of Asparagine, Lysine,
Methionine, Threonine and Isoleucine. These amino
acid except Asparagine are essential amino acids,
they are synthesizedBiochemistryinmedics
only for plants.
01/21/14
41

Role of TCA cycle in fatty acid
synthesis
iii) Role in fatty acid synthesis- Acetyl-CoA,
formed from pyruvate by the action of
pyruvate dehydrogenase, is the major
substrate for long-chain fatty acid synthesis .
Acetyl-CoA is made available in the cytosol
from citrate synthesized in the mitochondrion,
transported into the cytosol, and cleaved in a
reaction catalyzed by ATP-citrate lyase.
01/21/14


42

Role of TCA cycle in fatty acid
synthesis

Acetyl co A can also be used for the
synthesis of cholesterol, steroids
etc.
01/21/14


• Citrate is transported
out of the
mitochondrion when
Aconitase is saturated
with its substrate.
• This ensures that
citrate is used for
fatty acid synthesis
only when there is an
adequate amount to
ensure continued
activity of the cycle.
43

iv) Role in Heme synthesis
• Succinyl co A
condenses with
amino acid
Glycine to form
Alpha amino beta
keto Adipic acid,
which is the first
step of haem
biosynthesis.
01/21/14


44

v) Role in purine and pyrimidine
synthesis

Glutamate and Aspartate derived from TCA
cycle are utilized for the synthesis of purines
and pyrimidines.

01/21/14


45

Role of vitamins
• Riboflavin, in the form of flavin adenine dinucleotide
(FAD), a cofactor for succinate dehydrogenase
• Niacin, in the form of nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide (NAD), the electron acceptor for
isocitrate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate
dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase;
• Thiamine(vitamin B1) , as thiamine pyro phosphate,
the coenzyme for decarboxylation in the α
-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction;
• Pantothenic acid, as part of coenzyme A such as
acetyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA and
• Biotin- in CO2 fixation reaction to compensate
01/21/14
46
oxaloacetate concentration.

Anaplerotic reactions
• Anaplerosis is the act of replenishing TCA cycle
intermediates that have been extracted for
biosynthesis (in what are called cataplerotic
reactions).
• The TCA Cycle is a hub of metabolism, with central
importance in both energy production and
biosynthesis.
• Therefore, it is crucial for the cell to regulate
concentrations of TCA Cycle metabolites in the
mitochondria.
• Anaplerotic flux must balance cataplerotic flux in order
to retain homeostasis of cellular metabolism
01/21/14
47

1) Formation of oxaloacetate from pyruvate
• In case oxaloacetate is converted into amino acids
for protein synthesis or used for gluconeogenesis
and, subsequently, the energy needs of the cell rise.
• The citric acid cycle will operate to a reduced extent
unless new oxaloacetate is formed, because acetyl
CoA cannot enter the cycle unless it condenses with
oxaloacetate.
• Even though oxaloacetate is recycled, a minimal level
must be maintained to allow the cycle to function.
01/21/14


48

Oxaloacetate is formed by –
a)Carboxylation of pyruvate,
by pyruvate carboxylase
b)Through formation of
malate from pyruvate by
Malic enzyme
c)From malate to
oxaloacetate by malate
dehydrogenase

Mammals lack the enzymes for the net conversion of acetyl
CoA into oxaloacetate or any other citric acid cycle
intermediate.
01/21/14


49

2) Formation of oxaloacetate from AspartateOxaloacetate can also be formed from Aspartate by
transamination reaction.
3) Formation of Alpha keto glutarate- Alpha
ketoglutarate can be formed from Glutamate
dehydrogenase or from transamination reactions.
4) Formation of Succinyl co A – Succinyl co A can be
produced from the oxidation of odd chain fatty acid
and from the metabolism of methionine and
isoleucine (through carboxylation of Propionyl co A
to Methyl malonyl co A and then Succinyl co A)
01/21/14

•


50

Fats burn in the flame of
carbohydrates?
• fats burn in the flame of carbohydrates means
fats can only be oxidized in the presence of
carbohydrates.
• Acetyl co A represents fat component, since
the major source is fatty acid oxidation.
• Acetyl co A is completely oxidized in the TCA
cycle in the presence of oxaloacetate.

01/21/14


51

Fats burn in the flame of
carbohydrates?
• Pyruvate is mainly used up for Anaplerotic reactions
to compensate for oxaloacetate concentration.
• Thus without carbohydrates (Pyruvate), there would
be no Anaplerotic reactions to replenish the TCAcycle components.
• With a diet of fats only, the acetyl CoA from fatty
acid degradation would not get oxidized and build up
due to non functioning of TCA cycle.
• Thus fats can burn only in the flame of
carbohydrates.
01/21/14


52

For further reading
Follow the links
http://www.namrata.co/tca-cycle-lecture-1/
http://www.namrata.co/significance-of-tca-cycle/

01/21/14


53

TCA cycle- steps, regulation and significance

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to TCA cycle- steps, regulation and significance (20)

More from Namrata Chhabra (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

TCA cycle- steps, regulation and significance