Beta-Oxidation

Stryer
CHE182
The Circadian Rhythm Protein, The
Zika virus, The pressure sensitive
protein in earsNobel Prize
Chemistry 2017
 Jacques Dubochet

Dr. Dubochet, 75, is a Swiss citizen. He retired from

the University of Lausanne in Switzerland in
2007. His web page at the university humorously
notes that in October 1941, he was conceived by
optimistic parents and in 1946 he was no longer
scared of the dark, because the sun comes
back. He noted of his dyslexia: This permitted
being bad at everything and to understand
those with difficulties.
TRIACYLGLYCEROL
Triacylglycerols Are Highly
Concentrated Energy Stores
fatty acids is about 9 kcal/g (38 kJ/g),
in contrast with about 4 kcal/g(17
kJ/g) for carbohydrates and proteins.
In mammals, the major site of
accumulation of triacylglycerols is the
cytoplasm of adipose cells (fat cells).
Droplets of triacylglycerol coalesce to
form a large globule, which may
occupy most of the cell volume.
 Triacylglycerols Are Highly
Concentrated Energy Stores
The utility of triacylglycerols as an energy source is
dramatically illustrated by the abilities of migratory birds,
which can fly great distances without eating.
Examples are the American golden plover and the ruby-
throated sparrow.
The golden plover flies from Alaska to the southern tip of South
America; a large segment of the flight (3800 km, or 2400 miles)
is over open ocean, where the birds cannot feed.
The ruby-throated hummingbird can fly nonstop across the
Gulf of Mexico.
Fatty acids provide the energy source for both these
prodigious feats.
 Dietary Lipids Are Digested by
Pancreatic Lipases

Bile salts from liver binds with fats to facilitate reaction with lipase.
Steatorrhea fats in feces due to lack of bile salts.
Dietary Lipids Are Transported in
Chylomicrons
The Utilization of Fatty Acids as Fuel
Requires Three Stages of Processing
1. Triacylglycerol is digested to fatty acid.
2. Fatty acid is activated to Acyl CoA.
3. Acyl CoA undergoes Beta-Oxidation
Triacylglycerols Are Hydrolyzed by
Cyclic AMP-Regulated Lipases

Hormones like adrenalin activates lipase.

Glycerol is converted to G3P
Fatty Acids Are Linked to Coenzyme
A Before They Are Oxidized
Carnitine Carries Long-Chain Activated
Fatty Acids into the Mitochondrial Matrix
Carnitine Carries Long-Chain Activated
Fatty Acids into the Mitochondrial Matrix
Acetyl CoA,
NADH, and
FADH2 Are
Generated
in Each
Round of
Fatty Acid
Oxidation
The Complete Oxidation of
Palmitate(C16) Yields 106
Molecules of ATP
Approximately 2.5 molecules of ATP are generated
when the respiratory chain oxidizes each of the 7
molecules of NADH,
whereas 1.5 molecules of ATP are formed for each of the
7 molecules.
Recall that the oxidation of acetyl CoA by the citric acid
cycle yields 10 molecules of ATP.
The activation of palmitate consumes 2 ATP.