Plant Physiology - Lecture Notes - O. M. Tarnopilska 2019

5. Plant Respiration
5.4 Glyoxylate Cycle

It is a Modification of the Krebs cycle and is localized not in the Cell/35.html">Mitochondria, but in glyoxysomes. In these Organelles, isocitric acid is formed, just as in the Krebs cycle. Then, under the action of isocitrate lyase, it breaks down into glyoxylic and succinic acids. Glyoxylic acid reacts with a second molecule of acetyl-CoA to form malic acid, which is subsequently oxidized to oxaloacetic acid. Succinic acid leaves the glyoxysome and is converted into oxaloacetic acid (Fig. 5.3).

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Figure 5.3 – Scheme of The Glyoxylate cycle (after V. V. Polovyi)

During the glyoxylate cycle, two molecules of acetyl-CoA, generated from The breakdown of storage fats, are utilized, and one molecule of NADH is produced.



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