Pyruvate Assay Kit

Supplementary info

This supplementary information is collated from multiple sources and compiled automatically.

Activity summary

Pyruvate often called pyruvic acid or 'pyr' is an important intermediate metabolite in cellular respiration. It has a molecular mass of 88.06 g/mol and plays an integral role in the metabolic process. Pyruvate is present in virtually all living cells including plants and animals. The compound forms during glycolysis through the breakdown of glucose and can undergo several conversions serving as a precursor for various biochemical pathways. Potassium pyruvate is the salt form commonly used to study pyruvate's functions in the lab.

Biological function summary

This compound serves essential roles in energy production and biosynthesis. As part of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex pyruvate connects glycolysis to the Krebs cycle by enabling the conversion to acetyl-CoA. This conversion is necessary for the aerobic respiration process. Furthermore pyruvate contributes to gluconeogenesis where it influences the creation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources important during periods of fasting or intense exercise.

Pathways

Pyruvate interacts significantly in metabolic pathways like glycolysis and the citric acid cycle emphasizing cellular energy metabolism. In glycolysis pyruvate acts as the endpoint molecule while in the citric acid cycle it enters as acetyl-CoA maintaining the cycle in motion. The regulation of these pathways involves various enzymes and proteins like pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase associate with pyruvate’s metabolic roles dictating transitions between aerobic and anaerobic states.

Associated diseases and disorders

Alterations in pyruvate metabolism link closely to cancer and diabetes. Cancer cells often exhibit increased glycolytic rates known as the Warburg effect where pyruvate's conversion influences tumor growth. Pyruvate kinase M2 a protein variant is notably expressed in cancer cells and affects pyruvate's fate. In diabetes impaired pyruvate metabolism impacts insulin regulation contributing to the disease's metabolic complications. High levels of pyruvate can lead to lactic acidosis emphasizing the balance required in normal metabolic functioning.