Biochemistry : Reactants and Products of Lipid Catabolism

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 :Lipid Catabolism

How many rounds of beta oxidation will a fatty acid with a hydrocarbon tail that is 20 carbons long undergo? What are the products?

Possible Answers:

Twenty rounds, acetyl-CoA

Ten rounds, pyruvate

Ten rounds, acetyl-CoA

Nine rounds, pyruvate

Nine rounds, acetyl-CoA

Correct answer:

Nine rounds, acetyl-CoA

Explanation:

Each round of beta oxidation yields one molecule of acetyl-CoA (along with one molecule of FADH2和NADH分子之一)。两个电子运营商feed into the electron transport chain, ultimately yielding ATP via chemiosmosis. Since the organic product of beta oxidation (acetyl-CoA) contains two carbons, nine rounds of beta oxidation are required to fully oxidize a fatty acid with a 20-carbon hydrocarbon tail. Recognize that it is NOT 10 rounds because the last round (9th) will cut the now 4-carbon hydrocarbon tail, yielding two acetyl-CoA molecules. As a rule, a fatty acid with a hydrocarbon tail ofof carbons undergoesrounds of beta oxidation to be full oxidized.

Overall, for a fatty acid with 20 carbons in its hydrocarbon chain, 9 rounds of beta oxidation yielding 10 molecules of acetyl-CoA constitutes complete oxidation.

Example Question #1 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

Which of the following is not a product of beta oxidation of fatty acids?

Possible Answers:

Acetyl-CoA

NADH

ATP

All are products of beta oxidation

Correct answer:

ATP

Explanation:

One round of beta oxidation of fatty acids removes 2 carbons off the fatty acid chain at a time, yielding acetyl-CoA as well asand(from the 2 oxidation steps). ATP is not a direct product of beta oxidation, however the acetyl-CoA and reduced coenzymes will provide ATP via Krebs cycle and electron transport.

Example Question #3 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

In plants, a cycle known as the glyoxylate cycle exists, which allows plants to synthesize carbohydrates from fats. This is how fat-rich seeds are anabolized to produce carbohydrates in plants.

Even though the glyoxylate cycle does not exist in humans, there is one molecule that is used in gluconeogenesis that comes from-oxidation of fatty acids. Which molecule is this?

Possible Answers:

NADH

Oxaloacetate

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate

Pyruvate

Correct answer:

Oxaloacetate

Explanation:

-oxidation of fatty acids yields large quantities of acetyl-CoA, all of which enters the citric acid cycle. The only intermediate in the citric acid cycle that can form back into glucose is oxaloacetate. It can be turned into phosphoenolpyruvate via phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.

Example Question #4 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

What is the first step of the beta oxidation of fatty acids?

Possible Answers:

Addition of a hydroxyl group

Reduction of a carbon carbon double bond

Formation of a cis double bond between two carbons

Formation of a trans double bond between two carbons

Formation of a carbon oxygen double bond

Correct answer:

Formation of a trans double bond between two carbons

Explanation:

In the first step of beta oxidation the enzyme acyl-CoA dehydrogenase forms a trans-double bond between the two carbons at the site that will eventually be cleaved.

Example Question #5 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

On average, how many ATP and GTP molecules can be generated from an eighteen-carbon fatty acid?

Possible Answers:

106 ATP, no GTP

60 ATP, 4 GTP

159 ATP, 10 GTP

106 ATP, 8 GTP

120 ATP, 9 GTP

Correct answer:

120 ATP, 9 GTP

Explanation:

First, one must know what the products of one cycle of the beta oxidation pathway are. Each cycle yields,,1 acetyl-CoA, and a fatty acyl-CoA molecule 2 carbons shorter than the original.

Therefore, an eighteen-carbon fatty acyl-CoA input can go through the beta oxidation cycle 8 times (the last round only a 2 carbon acetyl CoA remains, which cannot enter the beta oxidation pathway again). That means there aremolecules, 9 acetyl-CoA molecules, andmolecules that can be generated from an eighteen-carbon fatty acyl-CoA.

It may be confusing to understand why there are onlyandmolecules and 9 acetyl-CoA, but if one is solving a problem such as this for the first time, go through and draw out the products following each round of the beta oxidation cycle.

2.5 ATP on average can be formed from eachmolecule, and 1.5 ATP from eachmolecule through the electron transport chain. 10 ATP can be formed in total from one acetyl-CoA entering into the Krebs cycle (by the products ofand), along with one GTP molecule.

Therefore:

If taken into consideration, 2 ATP are needed to activate a fatty acid and allow it to enter into the mitochondria via the enzyme acyl-CoA synthetase.

Therefore, the toTal net yield is

For a quick reference, the following equations can be used:

Whereis number of carbons of aneven numbered fatty acid chain.

Example Question #6 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

How many molecules of acetyl-CoA can be expected to be produced from the beta-oxidation of palmitic acid?

Note: Palmitic acid is a saturated fatty acid containing sixteen carbon atoms.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

For each round of beta-oxidation, two carbon atoms are removed from the fatty acid chain. These two carbon atoms come off of the chain in the form of acetyl-CoA. Additionally, high energy electron carriers in the form of NADH andare also produced, thus making beta-oxidation a process that liberates a great deal of energy.

Since the fatty acid that we're starting with has a total ofcarbon atoms, we can expect there to be a total ofacetyl-CoA molecules produced, since each of these contains two carbons from the fatty acid.

Example Question #7 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

Which of the following molecules is/are the product(s) at the end of normal beta oxidation of a fatty acid?

Possible Answers:

2 acetyl-CoA molecules and 2 propionyl-CoA molecules

1 acetyl-CoA molecule and 1 propionyl-CoA molecule

2 acetyl-CoA molecules

2 propionyl-CoA molecules

2 keto-acyl-CoA molecules

Correct answer:

2 acetyl-CoA molecules

Explanation:

During beta oxidation of fatty acids, carbons are removed from the fatty acid chain two at a time. So when a fatty acid is composed of an even number of carbons (as most are) 4 carbons will be left at the end. This will be cleaved into two separate 2 carbon molecules - two acetyl-CoA molecules.

Example Question #8 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

Which of the following molecules is/are produced at the end of beta oxidation of a fatty acid with an odd number of carbons in its carbon chain?

Possible Answers:

1 propionyl-CoA molecule and 1 acetyl-CoA molecule

2 acetyl-CoA molecules

2 propionyl-CoA molecules and 2 acetyl-CoA molecules

2 Ketoacyl molecules

2 propionyl-CoA molecules

Correct answer:

1 propionyl-CoA molecule and 1 acetyl-CoA molecule

Explanation:

在机会的脂肪酸,碳removed from the fatty acid chain two at a time. So when a fatty acid is composed of an odd number of carbons, 5 carbons will be left at the end. This will be cleaved into two separate molecules - one with 3 carbons and one with 2 carbons. This is one acetyl-CoA molecule (2 carbons) and one propionyl-CoA molecule (3 carbons).

Example Question #1 :Reactants And Products Of Lipid Catabolism

During beta oxidation, what is the end product of a fatty acid with an odd number of carbons?

Possible Answers:

Propionyl-CoA

Succinyl-CoA

Nothing; these molecules do not exist.

Acetyl-CoA

Correct answer:

Propionyl-CoA

Explanation:

与奇数碳脂肪酸common in plants and marine organisms than they are in mammals. When humans consume these organisms in their diets, they must metabolize them through beta oxidation. The end product of this reaction is propionyl-CoA rather than acetyl-CoA, which is formed during cleavage of two-carbon segments (fatty acids with an even number of carbons). Before entering the Krebs cycle, the propionyl-CoA must be transformed into succinyl-CoA.

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