pyruvatIon

PyruvatIon is the ionized form of pyruvic acid, the conjugate base known as the pyruvate ion. In aqueous solution, loss of a proton from the carboxyl group of pyruvic acid yields the monoanionic pyruvate (CH3-CO-COO−). The pyruvate anion is resonance-stabilized across the carboxylate group and the adjacent keto carbon, contributing to its chemical reactivity and its role as a central metabolic intermediate.

In cells, pyruvatIon is predominantly present at physiological pH as the pyruvate anion. It participates in diverse metabolic pathways and readily forms salts with metal ions and counterions (for example, sodium or calcium pyruvate). The pyruvate ion serves as a key branching point in metabolism: it can be decarboxylated to form acetyl-CoA in aerobic respiration, carboxylated to oxaloacetate in anaplerotic reactions, or reduced to lactate under anaerobic conditions. Transamination of pyruvate yields alanine, linking carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Its transport across mitochondrial membranes and subsequent utilization in the citric acid cycle are central to cellular energy production.

Chemical properties of pyruvatIon include its polarity, water solubility as a salt, and ligand-like behavior with metal ions, enabling various biochemical and analytical applications. In laboratory settings, pyruvate salts are used as energy sources in cell culture and as substrates in enzymatic assays and metabolic studies. While often discussed simply as pyruvate in biology, the pyruvatIon form emphasizes its ionic, physiological relevance.

See also: pyruvic acid, pyruvate, lactate, acetyl-CoA, oxaloacetate.