Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Respiration in Plants

Question:

During exercise, when oxygen is inadequate for cellular respiration, reduction of pyruvic acid is catalyzed by which one of the following enzyme ?

 

Options:

Hexokinases .

Lactate dehydrogenase.

Pyruvic dehydrogenase.  

All of these .

Correct Answer:

Lactate dehydrogenase.

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (2)- Lactate dehydrogenase.

In fermentation, say by yeast, the incomplete oxidation of glucose is achieved under anaerobic conditions by sets of reactions where pyruvic acid is converted to CO2 and ethanol. 

The enzymes, pyruvic acid decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase catalyse these reactions. Other organisms like some bacteria produce lactic acid from pyruvic acid.

In animal cells also, like muscles during exercise, when oxygen is inadequate for cellular respiration pyruvic acid is reduced to lactic acid by lactate dehydrogenase.

The reducing agent is NADH+H+ which is reoxidised to NAD+ in both the processes. In both lactic acid and alcohol fermentation not much energy is released; less than seven per cent of the energy in glucose is released and not all of it is trapped as high energy bonds of ATP.