Activated fatty acids then enter into the -oxidation pathway where fatty acids a

Question

Activated fatty acids then enter into the -oxidation pathway where fatty acids are broken down into AcetylCoA molecules.

(a) Lauric acid has 12 carbons. How many acetyl CoA molecules will be produced from 1 molecule of lauric acid?

(b) What other (and how many?) energy storage molecules (NADH, etc.) are produced along with the Acetyl CoA molecules during -oxidation of lauric acid?

(c) Assuming the theoretical P:O ratio present in mammalian mitochondria, how many ATP would be produced from the -oxidation of lauric acid? Show ALL of your work explaining how each of the products from -oxidation lead to ATP.

Explanation / Answer

This goes on for (n/2) - 1 times (n = number of carbons).

That is 12/2 - 1 = 5 times.
Products are 1 FADH2, 1 NADH and 1 acetyl CoA for each time. So we have 5 FADH2, 5 NADH and 5 acetyl CoA plus the 1 acetyl CoA remaining, so 6 acetyl CoA.

In oxidative phosphorylation, 1 FADH2 provides 2 ATP, 1NADH 3ATP. At TCA cycle each acetyl CoA provides 12 ATP when converted to CO2 and H20. So 5x2 + 5x3 + 6x12 = 97 ATP
Now, don't forget that activation of a fatty acid requires 2 ATP.
Finally, 97 - 2 = 95 ATP.

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