oxaloacetic acid

[ ok-suh-loh-uh-see-tik, ok-, ok-sal-oh-, -sal- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. a crystalline organic acid, C 4 H 4 O 5 , that is an important intermediate in the Krebs cycle, where it is formed by the oxidation of malic acid and is acetylated to form citric acid: also a product of transamination reactions of aspartic acid.

oxaloacetic acid

/ ŏk′sə-lō-ə-sē′tĭk,ŏk-săl′ō- /

1. A colorless crystalline organic acid that is formed by oxidation of malic acid in the Krebs cycle and by transamination from aspartic acid. It is important as an intermediate in the metabolism of carbohydrates and a precursor in the synthesis of amino acids. Chemical formula: C 4 H 4 O 5 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of oxaloacetic acid¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; oxal(ic) + -o- + acetic acid