Acyl-CoA derivatives

All of the other enzymes of the /3-oxidation pathway are located in the mitochondrial matrix. Short-chain fatty acids, as already mentioned, are transported into the matrix as free acids and form the acyl-CoA derivatives there. However, long-chain fatty acyl-CoA derivatives cannot be transported into the matrix directly. These long-chain derivatives must first be converted to acylearnitine derivatives, as shown in Figure 24.9. Carnitine acyltransferase I, located on the outer side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, catalyzes the formation of... 

Although fatty acids are both oxidized to acetyl-CoA and synthesized from acetyl-CoA, fatty acid oxidation is not the simple reverse of fatty acid biosynthesis but an entirely different process taking place in a separate compartment of the cell. The separation of fatty acid oxidation in mitochondria from biosynthesis in the cytosol allows each process to be individually controlled and integrated with tissue requirements. Each step in fatty acid oxidation involves acyl-CoA derivatives catalyzed by separate enzymes, utihzes NAD and FAD as coenzymes, and generates ATP. It is an aerobic process, requiring the presence of oxygen. 

Fig. 2 Action of desaturases and limited chain shortening can produce a variety of mono-unsaturated acyl-CoA precursors that can be modified to form unsaturated pheromone compounds. The arrow pointing down indicates limited chain shortening by two carbons. Modification of all 16-, 14-, 12-, and 10-carbon acyl-CoA derivatives on the carbonyl carbon can account for the majority of monounsaturated acetate esters, aldehydes, and alcohols identified as sex pheromones...

Lynen had studied chemistry in Munich under Wieland his skill as a chemist led to the successful synthesis of a number of fatty acyl CoA derivatives which proved to be substrates in the catabolic pathway. Many of these C=0 or C=C compounds had characteristic UV absorption spectra so that enzyme reactions utilizing them could be followed spectrophotometrically. This technique was also used to identify and monitor the flavoprotein and pyridine nucleotide-dependent steps. Independent evidence for the pathway was provided by Barker, Stadtman and their colleagues using Clostridium kluyveri. Once the outline of the degradation had been proposed the individual steps of the reactions were analyzed very rapidly by Lynen, Green, and Ochoa s groups using in the main acetone-dried powders from mitochondria, which, when extracted with dilute salt solutions, contained all the enzymes of the fatty acid oxidation system. 

This enzyme [EC 2.3.1.76], also referred to as retinol fatty-acyltransferase, catalyzes the reaction of an acyl-CoA derivative with retinol to generate coenzyme A and the retinyl ester. The CoA derivative can be palmi-toyl-CoA or other long-chain fatty-acyl derivatives of coenzyme A. 

This enzyme catalyzes the reaction of an acyl-CoA derivative with l-acyl-vn-glycerol 3-phosphate to generate coenzyme A and l,2-diacyl-5 n-glycerol 3-phosphate. The animal enzyme is reported to be specific for the transfer of unsaturated fatty acyl groups. Interestingly, the acyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] can also act as an acyl donor. 

This enzyme [EC 2.3.1.137] catalyzes the reversible reaction of octanoyl-CoA with carnitine to yield coenzyme A and O-octanoylcarnitine. The enzyme utilizes a range of acyl-CoA derivatives as substrates, with optimal activity reported with Ce or Cs acyl groups. 

This enzyme [EC 2.3.1.42], also known as glycerone-phosphate O-acyltransferase, catalyzes the reaction of an acyl-CoA with dihydroxyacetone phosphate (or, glyc-erone phosphate) to produce coenzyme A and an acyldi-hydroxyacetone phosphate (or, an acylglycerone phosphate). The acyl-CoA derivatives of pahnitate, stearate, and oleate can all be utilized as substrates, with highest activity observed with palmitoyl-CoA. 

Glycine A -acyltransferase [EC 2.3.1.13] catalyzes the reaction of an acyl-CoA derivative with glycine to produce coenzyme A and an A-acylglycine. The acyl-CoA derivative can be one of a number of aliphatic and aromatic acids. However, neither phenylacetyl-CoA nor indole-3-acetyl-CoA can act as substrates. 

This enzyme [EC 2.S.3.5], also known as succinyl-CoA 3-ketoacid CoA-transferase and 3-oxoacid CoA-transferase, catalyzes the reversible reaction of succinyl-CoA with a 3-oxo acid to produce succinate and a 3-oxo-acyl-CoA derivative. 

Other short-chain acyl-CoA derivatives can act as substrates. 

Glycine conjugation Glycine Acyl-CoA glycinetransferase (mitochondria) Acyl-CoA derivatives of carboxylic acids Salicylic acid, benzoic acid, nicotinic acid, cinnamic acid, cholic acid, deoxycholic acid... 

The incidence of the severe form is between 1 in 20,000 and 1 in 40,000 in adults, although the incidence is much higher in children (1 in 5000). The fatty liver is a "visible" symptom of dysfunction, not necessarily a cause of liver failure, although it can be. Valproic acid is similar to a fatty acid and therefore can become incorporated into fatty acid metabolism. This involves formation of an acyl CoA derivative and also a carnitine derivative. However, this depletes both CoA from the intramitochondrial pool and carnitine and so compromises the mitochondria and reduces the ability of the cell to metabolize short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids via p-oxidation (Fig. 7.15). 

The condensation of acetyl CoA and oxaloacetate to form citrate is catalyzed by citrate synthase (Figure 9.5). This aldol condensation has an equilibrium far in the direction of citrate synthesis. Citrate synthase is allosterically activated by Ca2+ and ADP, and inhibited by ATP, NADH, succinyl CoA, and fatty acyl CoA derivatives (see Figure 9.9). However, the primary mode of regulation is also deter mined by the availability of its substrates, acetyl CoA and oxaloac etate. [Note Citrate, in addition to being an intermediate in the TCA cycle, provides a source of acetyl CoA for the cytosolic synthesis of... 

Regulation of the LDL receptor gene involves a hormone-response element (HRE, see p. 238).] Third, if the cholesterol is not required immediately for some structural or synthetic purpose, it is esterified by acyl CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT, AC AT transfers a fatty acid from a fatty acyl CoA derivative to cholesterol, producing a cholesteryl ester that can be stored in the cell (Figure 18.21). The activity of ACAT is enhanced in the presence of increased intracellular cholesterol. 

Dehydrogenation Oxidation of the products formed in the above reaction yields a-p-unsaturated acyl CoA derivatives. This reac tion is analagous to the dehydrogenation described in the p-oxidation scheme of fatty acid degradation (see p. 190). 

Citrate is synthesized from oxaloacetate (OAA) and acetyl CoA by citrate synthase. This enzyme is allosterically activated by ADP, and inhibited by ATP, NADH, succinyl CoA, and fatty acyl CoA derivatives. Citrate is isomerized to isocitrate by aconitase, an enzyme that is targeted by the rat poison, fluoroacetate. 

Familial adenomatous polyposis 574 Faraday, numerical value of 283 Farnesyl group 402, 559 Fat(s). See also Triacylglycerol (triglyceride) composition of 380 hydrolysis of 507 Fatty acid(s) 380-382 activation of 512 acyl CoA, derivatives of 507 biosynthesis of 722 branched chain 381 cyclopropane-containing 399 essential 721 in lipids 380 names of, table 380 oxidation 511 pKa values of 380 stability of 589... 

Fatty acyl-CoA derivatives 507 Fatty alcohols 380-382,382 Favin 64s... 

The carboxyl group of a fatty acid provides a point for chemical attack. The first step is a priming reaction in which the fatty acid is converted to a water-soluble acyl-CoA derivative in which the a hydrogens of the fatty acyl radicals are "activated" (step a, Fig. 17-1). This synthetic reaction is catalyzed by acyl-CoA synthetases (fatty acid CoA ligases). It is driven by the hydrolysis of ATP to AMP and two inorganic... 

At the end of this sequence, the P-oxoacyl-CoA derivative is cleaved (Fig. 17-1, step e) by a thiolase (see also Eq. 13-35). One of the products is acetyl-CoA, which can be catabolized to C02 through the citric acid cycle. The other product of the thiolytic cleavage is an acyl-CoA derivative that is two carbon atoms shorter than the original acyl-CoA. This molecule is recycled through the P oxidation process, a two-carbon acetyl unit being removed as acetyl-CoA during each turn of the cycle (Fig. 17-1). The process continues until the fatty acid chain is completely degraded. 

Figure 17-1 The p oxidation cycle for fatty acids. Fatty acids are converted to acyl-CoA derivatives from which 2-carbon atoms are cut off as acetyl-CoA to give a shortened chain which is repeatedly sent back through the cycle until only a 2- or 3-carbon acyl-CoA remains. The sequence of steps b, c, and d also occurs in many other places in metabolism.

The first step in oxidation of alkanes is usually an 02-requiring hydroxylation (Chapter 18) to a primary alcohol. Further oxidation of the alcohol to an acyl-CoA derivative, presumably via the aldehyde (Eq. 17-2), is a frequently encountered biochemical oxidation sequence. 

A major factor controlling the oxidation of fatty acids is the rate of entry into the mitochondria. While some long-chain fatty acids (perhaps 30% of the total) enter mitochondria as such and are converted to CoA derivatives in the matrix, the majority are "activated" to acyl-CoA derivatives on the inner surface of the outer membranes of the mitochondria. Penetration of these acyl-CoA derivatives through the mitochondrial inner membrane is facilitated by L-camitine 41 44... 

Nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl group of such a compound results in displacement of a good leaving group, Cl or R-COO. Nature has followed the same approach in forming from carboxylic acids acyl phosphates or acyl-CoA derivatives. 

Branched carbon skeletons are formed by standard reaction types but sometimes with addition of rearrangement steps. Compare the biosynthetic routes to three different branched five-carbon units (Fig. 17-19) The first is the use of a propionyl group to initiate formation of a branched-chain fatty acid. Propionyl-CoA is carboxylated to methylmalonyl-CoA, whose acyl group is transferred to the acyl carrier protein before condensation. Decarboxylation and reduction yields an acyl-CoA derivative with a methyl group in the 3-position. 

Polled hereford calves in Australia develop maple syrup urine disease relatively often/ 6 One cause was established as a mutation that introduces a stop codon that causes premature termination within the leader peptide during synthesis of the thiamin diphosphate-dependent El subunit. A similar biochemical defect in a mutant of Bacillus subtilis causes difficulties for this bacterium, which requires branched-chain fatty acids in its membranes. Branched acyl-CoA derivatives are needed as starter pieces for their synthesis (Chapter 29). With the oxidative decarboxylation of the necessary oxoacids blocked, the mutant is unable to grow unless supplemented with branched-chain fatty acids. 

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