Pyruvate is an important chemical compound in biochemistry. ... One molecule of glucose breaks down into two molecules of pyruvate, which are then used to provide further energy in one of two ways. Pyruvate is converted into acetyl- coenzyme A, which is the main input for a series of reactions known as the Krebs cycle.

In which part of cell glucose is converted to pyruvate?

Glucose is converted into pyruvate in the cytoplasm of the cell. The process is known as glycolysis.

What is pyruvate converted to and where does this occur?

In eukaryotic cells, the pyruvate molecules produced at the end of glycolysis are transported into mitochondria, which are the sites of cellular respiration. There, pyruvate will be transformed into an acetyl group that will be picked up and activated by a carrier compound called coenzyme A (CoA).