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Metabolic
Plants, bacteria, some fungi
Glyoxylate Cycle
Net conversion of acetyl-CoA to oxaloacetate, bypassing CO₂ loss steps of TCA.
Overview
The glyoxylate cycle is a variation of the citric acid cycle that allows organisms to use acetyl-CoA (from fats) for net gluconeogenesis. Isocitrate lyase cleaves isocitrate to succinate and glyoxylate, and malate synthase condenses glyoxylate with acetyl-CoA to form malate. This bypasses the two decarboxylation steps of the TCA cycle, enabling net carbon gain.
Cellular Location
Glyoxysomes (plants), cytoplasm (bacteria)
Clinical Significance
Allows growth on fatty acids as sole carbon source; absent in animals; key for seed germination (fat → sugar conversion); potential drug target in pathogenic bacteria.