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pyruvate
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Diagram showing the steps of glycolysis, beginning with glucose and ATP, progressing through intermediates like glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate, and ending with the production of pyruvate, ATP, and NADH. A detailed inset highlights the enzymatic reactions and energy transfers from glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to pyruvate. A metabolic pathway diagram for Escherichia coli showing how various nutrients-including sugars, fats, glycerol, and amino acids-are broken down into intermediates like pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, leading to the production of energy and other metabolites such as lactate, glutamate, and succinate. Arrows indicate the flow of metabolites between compounds, with key nutrient sources and products highlighted in colored boxes. Diagram showing how B-vitamin coenzymes, such as vitamin B6, folic acid, and biotin, assist in metabolic pathways involving carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, highlighting their roles in energy production and the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
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pyruvate

chemical compound
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Diagram showing the steps of glycolysis, beginning with glucose and ATP, progressing through intermediates like glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate, and ending with the production of pyruvate, ATP, and NADH. A detailed inset highlights the enzymatic reactions and energy transfers from glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate to pyruvate.
glycolysis The generation of pyruvate through the process of glycolysis is the first step in fermentation.

Pyruvic acid, also known as pyruvate, is an organic acid found in all living cells. It plays a crucial role at the intersection of breaking down and synthesizing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This molecule is a key product of glycolysis, a process that breaks down glucose into two pyruvate molecules, releasing energy captured in ATP.12

Pyruvate can then follow different metabolic pathways. In the absence of oxygen, it can be fermented into substances like ethyl alcohol or lactic acid. When oxygen is available, pyruvate is further oxidized, typically entering the Krebs cycle after being converted to acetyl coenzyme A. This oxidation process releases significantly more energy, which is then converted into ATP.1342

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. pyruvic acid
  2. metabolism - The formation of ATP
  3. metabolism - The oxidation of pyruvate
  4. cellular respiration

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