Answer: acetyl-CoA
Explanation:
Glucose plays a central role in energy and carbohydrate metabolism. Glycolysis - Route of degradation of 1 molecule of Glucose in 2 of Pyruvate. Pyruvate can follow 3 paths:
1) Be reduced to Ethanol - Alcoholic fermentation
2) Be reduced to Lactate - Lactic Fermentation
3) Be completely oxidized to CO2 and H2O - Citric Acid Cycle (Performed by animals, vegetables and many microbial cells under aerobic conditions). Glycolysys is linked to the citric acid cycle via the production of acetyl-CoA.
Under aerobic conditions, however, pyruvate is not reduced but rather oxidized in the mitochondria by enzymatic complex pyruvate dehydrogenase (also called pyruvate decarboxylase) with the formation of acetyl-CoA and the release of one molecule of CO2 per every peroxidized pyruvate.
