The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex catalyzes the overall conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and CO(2). (R)-N(6)-dihydrolipoyl-L-lysyl-[protein] + acetyl-CoA = (R)-N(6)-(S(8)-acetyldihydrolipoyl)-L-lysyl-[protein] + CoA Binds 1 lipoyl cofactor covalently. Eukaryotic pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complexes are organized as a core consisting of the oligomeric dihydrolipoamide acetyl-transferase (E2), around which are arranged multiple copies of pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1), dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (E3) and protein X (E3BP) bound by non-covalent bonds. The E2 component contains covalently-bound lipoyl cofactors and it participates in the generation of acetyl groups from hydroxyethyl-thiamine pyrophosphate-E1 and their transfer to coenzyme A. Present with 5440 molecules/cell in log phase SD medium. Belongs to the 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase family.