ABSTRACT
Role The citric acid cycle, also known as the TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle or Krebs cycle (after its discoverer in 1937), is used to oxidize the pyruvate formed during the glycolytic breakdown of glucose into CO2 and H2O. It also oxidizes acetyl CoA arising from fatty acid degradation (Section K2), and amino acid degradation products (Section M2). In addition, the cycle provides precursors for many biosynthetic pathways.
