During anaerobic respiration the conversion of pyruvate into acetaldehyde, along with co-enzyme TPP, the cofactor required is

Options

A. `Mg^(+)`
B. `Mn^(2+)`
C. `Fe^(2+)`
D. `Zn^(2+)`

Answer

To solve the question regarding the cofactor required during the conversion of pyruvate into acetaldehyde in anaerobic respiration, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand Anaerobic Respiration**:
- Anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen. In this process, glucose is first converted to pyruvate through glycolysis.

2. **Identify the Fate of Pyruvate**:
- Under anaerobic conditions, pyruvate does not enter the Krebs cycle. Instead, it is converted into acetaldehyde, particularly in organisms like yeast.

3. **Enzyme Involved**:
- The conversion of pyruvate to acetaldehyde is catalyzed by the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase.

4. **Cofactor Requirement**:
- The enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase requires a coenzyme called Thiamine Pyrophosphate (TPP) for its activity.

5. **Identify the Required Cofactor**:
- In addition to TPP, the enzyme also requires a metal cofactor for optimal activity. The common metal cofactors include magnesium (Mg²⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺), iron (Fe²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺).

6. **Choose the Correct Option**:
- Among the options provided (Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺) is the correct cofactor required along with TPP for the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase.

### Final Answer:
- The cofactor required during the conversion of pyruvate into acetaldehyde, along with coenzyme TPP, is **Mg²⁺ (Magnesium)**.

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