Citrate

Term

Organic tricarboxylic acid is formed during the first reaction of the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle). Acetyl-CoA methyl group binds to oxaloacetate carboxyl group. At the same time, a bioester bond is cleaved – CoA is released. During the reaction, a lot of energy is released in the form of heat. The reaction is irreversible. It is catalyzed by the mitochondrial matrix enzyme citrate synthase. As an intermediate product of these reactions, citroyl-CoA associated with the enzyme is formed, which later irreversibly hydrolyzes to form citrate + CoA.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė