Why is the Krebs cycle considered a part of aerobic metabolism if molecular oxygen is not involved in any of the reactions in the cycle Why is the Krebs cycle considered a part of aerobic metabolism if molecular oxygen is not involved in any of the reactions in the cycle? I originally thought that Krebs cycle was aerobic metabolism because it is in the process that oxygen is the final electron acceptor, but my teacher claims that glycolysis is anaerobic so what makes the Krebs cycle aerobic?

Oxygen is actually not needed in the Krebs cycle - it is needed in the electron transport chain that is downstream of the Krebs cycle to regenerate NAD+ from NADH. NAD+ is a co-enzyme and acts as an electron carrier in oxidizing reactions at various positions in the Krebs cycle. However, note that without O2, NADH accumulates and the cycle cannot continue as it needs NAD+ to run.

_**Krebs cycle - No O 2 needed:**_

!Krebs cycle

_**Electron transport chain - O 2 needed to regenerate NAD+ essential for the Krebs cycle:**_ !e- transport chain