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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Citric Acid Cycle
Which of the following enzymes catalyzes a reaction within the citric acid cycle?
Phosphoglycerate kinase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
Pyruvate kinase
Enolase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
The only enzyme listed in the answer choices that catalyzes a reaction within the citric acid cycle is isocitrate dehydrogenase, as it catalyzes the formation of alpha-ketoglutarate, carbon dioxide, NADH, and a proton, from isocitrate and .
Each of the other enzymes listed do not catalyze reactions within the citric acid cycle, but rather they catalyze reactions within glycolysis, as follows:
Pyruvate kinase catalyzes the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP to pyruvate and ATP.
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, , and inorganic phosphate to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, NADH, and a proton.
Phosphoglycerate kinase catalyzes the conversion of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate and ADP to 3-phosphoglycerate and ATP.
Enolase catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate.
Example Question #11 : Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes
Which of the following citric acid cycle enzymes catalyzes a reaction that results in the production of a molecule of ?
Pyruvate kinase
Aconitase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
Succinate dehydrogenase
Fumarase
Succinate dehydrogenase
The only enzyme listed that participates in the citric acid cycle and catalyzes a step producing is succinate dehydrogenase. Succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of succinate and FAD to fumarate and .
Pyruvate kinase is incorrect as it neither participates in the citric acid cycle (it is part of glycolysis), nor catalyzes a reaction that produces .
Isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate and to alpha-ketoglutarate, NADH, , and CO2, but not .
Fumarase catalyzes the conversion of fumarate and to malate, but not .
Aconitase catalyzes the conversion of cis-aconitate and to isocitrate, but not .
Example Question #12 : Citric Acid Cycle
Which of the following enzymes catalyzes the citric acid cycle step that directly produces succinyl-CoA?
Succinyl-CoA synthetase
Succinate dehydrogenase
Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase
Fumarase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase
The citric acid cycle enzyme that catalyzes the reaction directly responsible for the production of succinyl-CoA is alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate, , and CoA-SH to succinyl-CoA, NADH, , and .
Each of the other enzymes listed are enzymes that participate in the citric acid cycle, but not in the step the directly produces succinyl-CoA. Their general roles are as follows:
Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.
Succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of succinate to fumarate.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate.
Fumarase catalyzes the conversion of fumarate to malate.
Example Question #13 : Citric Acid Cycle
Which of the following statements regarding the function of the enzyme, succinyl-CoA synthetase, is a true statement?
Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the rate-limiting step of glycolysis.
Succinyl-CoA synthetase directly catalyzes a citric acid cycle reaction that produces .
Succinyl-CoA synthetase is produced by the reaction catalyzed by alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.
Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinyl-CoA.
Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinate.
Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinate.
The only correct statement within the answer choices is that succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinate. In this reaction, the citric acid cycle enzyme, succinyl-CoA synthetase, catalyzes the conversion of succinyl-CoA, GDP (or ADP) and inorganic phosphate to succinate, CoA-SH, and GTP (or ATP).
The incorrect answer choices are explained below:
"Succinyl-CoA synthetase is produced by the reaction catalyzed by alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase."
This is incorrect because it is succinyl-CoA that is produced by the reaction catalyzed by alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Succinyl-CoA synthetase, the enzyme, is not produced by this reaction.
"Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the rate-limiting step of glycolysis."
Succinyl-CoA synthetase does not participate in glycolysis; it participates in the citric acid cycle. Furthermore, even in the citric acid cycle, it does not catalyze the reaction responsible for the rate-limiting step of the citric acid cycle.
"Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinyl-CoA."
Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the formation of succinyl-CoA. Succinyl-CoA synthetase catalyzes the reaction responsible for the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.
"Succinyl-CoA synthetase directly catalyzes a citric acid cycle reaction that produces ."
Succinate dehydrogenase directly catalyzes a citric acid cycle reaction that produces , not succinyl-CoA synthetase.
Example Question #11 : Citric Acid Cycle
Which of the following enzymes catalyzes the rate-limiting step of the citric acid cycle?
Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1)
Pyruvate kinase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
Succinyl-CoA synthetase
Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase
Isocitrate dehydrogenase
The rate-limiting step of the citric acid cycle is catalyzed by the enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase. Isocitrate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate and to alpha-ketoglutarate, NADH, a proton, and a molecule of carbon dioxide.
Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) is incorrect, as it catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycolysis, not the citric acid cycle.
Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase is incorrect, as it catalyzes the rate-limiting step of gluconeogenesis, not the citric acid cycle.
Succinyl-CoA synthetase is incorrect, as it catalyzes a reaction within the citric acid cycle that is not the rate-limiting step.
Pyruvate kinase is incorrect as the reaction that it catalyzes is neither within the citric acid cycle, nor a rate-limiting step.