Super-Saturated solution of CO2, at high Temperature & Pressure (e.g., deep-sea volcanic vents), could "inject" CO2 into Reverse Citric-Acid Cycle, "driving" it around ??

 

The reverse Citric Acid Cycle incorporates CO2, from the surrounding aqueous medium. So, if that solution was super-saturated, with CO2 -- such as could have occurred, 4.5 Gya, in the earth's early oceans, pressed down by a then-still-super-dense-and-CO2-rich sky -- could CO2, "seeking out" of the super-saturated solution, "flee into" the reverse CAC, and "drive" that anabolic pathway through successive cycles ?

 

Edited June 4, 201114 yr by Widdekind

The reactions are, in principle, reversible, but the pressures involved would be silly.

Biolgoically, bacteria that utilize reverse TCA have specialized enzymes (including ATP citrate lyase and two different oxidoreductases) not found in the "normal" TCA-cycle to facilitate the reversal.

Edited June 6, 201114 yr by CharonY