During pyruvate processing, two carbons from pyruvate combine with ____. In the oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, one carbon atom is released as CO2. However, the oxidation of the remaining two carbon atoms—in acetate—to CO2 requires a complex, eight-step pathway—the citric acid cycle.

How does pyruvate become a 2 carbon molecule?

Pyruvate is produced by glycolysis in the cytoplasm, but pyruvate oxidation takes place in the mitochondrial matrix (in eukaryotes). ... A carboxyl group is removed from pyruvate and released as carbon dioxide. The two-carbon molecule from the first step is oxidized, and NAD+ accepts the electrons to form NADH.

What happens during pyruvate processing?

Pyruvate processing Each pyruvate is processed to release one molecule of CO2, and the remaining two carbons are used to form the compound acetyl CoA. The oxidation of pyruvate results in more NAD+ being reduced to NADH.