Link reaction and Krebs cycle

Link reaction:

• The pyruvate molecules produced in the cytoplasm in glycolysis are actively transported into the matrix of the mitochondria
• The pyruvate is oxidised to acetate
• The 3-carbon pyruvate loses two carbon dioxide molecules and two hydrogens
• These hydrogens are accepted by NAD to from two reduced NAD, which is later used to produce ATP
• The 2-carbon acetate combines with a molecule called coenzyme A to produce the compound acetylcoenzyme A

pyruvate + NAD + CoA -> acetyl CoA + reduced NAD + CO2

Krebs cycle:

• Occurs twice, for each of the 2 acetylcoenzyme a 
• The 2-carbon acetylcoenzyme A from the link reaction combines with a 4-carbon molecule to produce a 6-carbon molecule
• In a series of reactions this 6-carbon molecule loses carbon dioxide and hydrogen to give a 4-carbon molecule and a single molecule of ATP produced…