Which of the following reacts with Acetyl CoA to generate a 6-carbon molecule in the TCA cycle?

The correct answer is: Oxaloacetate

• Oxaloacetate, a four-carbon acceptor molecule, and acetyl CoA combine to generate the six-carbon molecule citrate in the cycle's first phase.
• This six-carbon molecule undergoes a brief rearrangement, which results in two identical events that release two of its carbons as carbon dioxide molecules, yielding a molecule of NADH.
• The citric acid cycle is disciplined by the enzymes that catalyze these reactions, which can speed up or slow down the cycle depending on the energy requirements of the cell.