It seems to have nothing to do with the common usage of the word "citric," as to referring to citrus fruits or something like that. Why does it have this name, then?
Might be the stupidest question ever, but I want to know!
2006-10-29 02:01:33 · 3 answers · asked by ♥ 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
That's a very good question actually.
Citric acid is one of the key chemical metabolic intermediates within the citric acid cycle.
The reason it is so-called is that citric acid is the first product produced in this series of conversions. The citric acid cycle begins with the reaction of a compound called oxaloacetic acid with acetyl CoA (derived from glucose). The oxaloacetic acid and acetyl CoA react to produce citric acid.
2006-10-29 02:18:42 · answer #1 · answered by the last ninja 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well that's just one of it's names. If you like you can refer to it as the Kreb's Cycle after the scientist who discovered it. I believe it's called the citric acid cycle because the acetyl group attaches to oxaloacetate forming citrate.
2006-10-29 02:14:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
"The condensation of acetyl-CoA with oxaloacetate to yield citrate is the primary control point of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in most tissues"
P. 465, Lehninger's Biochemistry, 2nd Ed.
2006-10-29 02:15:33 · answer #3 · answered by wq.alpha 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋