oxálacetáttá

Oxalacetate is a four-carbon dicarboxylic acid that plays a crucial role in cellular metabolism. It is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle), a central pathway for energy production in aerobic organisms. In this cycle, oxalacetate is formed by the condensation of acetyl-CoA with oxaloacetate. It then reacts with acetyl-CoA to form citrate, marking the beginning of the cycle. Throughout the citric acid cycle, oxalacetate is regenerated, allowing the cycle to continue.

Beyond its role in energy metabolism, oxalacetate is also involved in gluconeogenesis, the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors. It can be converted into phosphoenolpyruvate, a key intermediate in this process. Furthermore, oxalacetate participates in amino acid biosynthesis and degradation, serving as a precursor for aspartate and asparagine, and being a product of the metabolism of several other amino acids. It is also a substrate for the enzyme malate dehydrogenase, which converts it to malate, another important metabolic intermediate. The balance of oxalacetate levels is tightly regulated to ensure efficient metabolic function.