glyoxylate

chemical compound

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Glyoxylate, also known as glyoxylic acid, is a chemical compound derived from glyoxal. It plays a role in metabolism, specifically in the glyoxylate cycle. This cycle is an anaplerotic pathway, meaning it replenishes intermediates in the TCA cycle. In the glyoxylate cycle, isocitrate is split into succinate and glyoxylate. Glyoxylate then condenses with acetyl coenzyme A to form malate, allowing organisms to synthesize four-carbon compounds from two-carbon units like acetate. This process is crucial for microorganisms that use single carbon sources for growth and biosynthesis.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

metabolism
Anaplerotic routes
Glyoxylate, like oxaloacetate, is the anion of an α-oxoacid and thus can condense, in a reaction catalyzed by malate synthase, with acetyl coenzyme A; the products of this reaction are coenzyme A and malate (reaction [53]).
Read More
Glyoxylate, like oxaloacetate, is the anion of an α-oxoacid and thus can condense, in a reaction catalyzed by malate synthase, with acetyl coenzyme A; the products of this reaction are coenzyme A and malate (reaction [53]).
Read More