Krebs cycle

Krebs cycle  (krbz)

n.

A series of enzymatic reactions in aerobic organisms involving oxidative metabolism of acetyl units and producing high-energy phosphate compounds, which serve as the main source of cellular energy. Also called citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle.

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[After Hans Adolf Sir Krebs.]

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Krebs cycle

A series of chemical reactions that occur in most aerobic organisms and are part of the process of aerobic cell metabolism, by which glucose and other molecules are broken down in the presence of oxygen into carbon dioxide and water to release chemical energy in the form of ATP. The Krebs cycle is the intermediate stage, occurring between glycolysis and phosphorylation, and results in the enzymatic breaking down, rearranging, and recombination of byproducts of glycolysis. The combination of glycolysis and the Krebs cycle ultimately allows 36 ATP molecules to be produced from the energy contained in one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. Also called citric acid cycle. See more at cellular respiration.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Krebs cycle - in all plants and animals: a series of enzymatic reactions in mitochondria involving oxidative metabolism of acetyl compounds to produce high-energy phosphate compounds that are the source of cellular energy citric acid cycle, Krebs citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolic process, metabolism - the organic processes (in a cell or organism) that are necessary for life biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms oxidative phosphorylation - an enzymatic process in cell metabolism that synthesizes ATP from ADP