Fatty acid translocation

The specific behaviour of unsaturated fatty acids under oxidation is determined by the position and the number of double bonds in the fatty acid molecule. The stepwise oxidation of an unsaturated acid to the position of a double bond in it proceeds in a manner similar to that of saturated acid oxidation. If the double bond retains the same configuration (trans-configuration) and position (A2,3) as those of the enoyl-CoA, which is produced during the oxidation of saturated fatty acids, the subsequent oxidation proceeds via conventional route. Otherwise, the oxidation reaction proceeds with the involvement of an accessory enzyme, A3,4-CiS-A2,3jrans-enoyl-CoA isomerase this facilitates the translocation of the double bond to an appropriate position and alters the double-bond configuration from cis to trans. 

Fatty acid utilized by muscle may arise from storage triglycerides from either adipose tissue depot or from lipid stores within the muscle itself. Lipolysis of adipose triglyceride in response to hormonal stimulation liberates free fatty acids (see Section 9.6.2) which are transported through the bloodstream to the muscle bound to albumin. Because the enzymes of fatty acid oxidation are located within subcellular organelles (peroxisomes and mitochondria), there is also need for transport of the fatty acid within the muscle cell this is achieved by fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs). Finally, the fatty acid molecules must be translocated across the mitochondrial membranes into the matrix where their catabolism occurs. To achieve this transfer, the fatty acids must first be activated by formation of a coenzyme A derivative, fatty acyl CoA, in a reaction catalysed by acyl CoA synthetase. 

Figure 7.15 Translocation of fatty acid to the mitochondrial matrix...

The two important fuels for colonocytes are glutamine and short-chain fatty acids. The oxidation of both fuels provides ATP for the cells, which is important not only to maintain digestive and absorptive functions but also to maintain membrane structure and hence the physical barrier between the lumen and the blood and peritoneal cavity. This barrier normally prevents significant rates of translocation of bacteria into the peritoneal cavity and thence into the blood. If this barrier is breached, translocation of pathogens and... 

Luiken, J. J., Coort, S. L., Willems, J., Coumans, W. A., Bonen, A., van der Vusse, G. J., and Glatz, J. F. 2003. Contraction-induced fatty acid translocase/CD36 translocation in rat cardiac myocytes is mediated through AMP-activated protein kinase signaling. Diabetes 52 1627-1634. 

Translocate movement of a substance within a plant from one site to another. Transpiration transport of water by plants from soils to the atmosphere, whereby water is released through pore-like structures (stomata) in the leaves to the atmosphere. Triglyceride composed of three fatty acids bonded to a glycerol (C3 alcohol). Triterpenoids a large group of natural compounds which typically include steroids and sterols. 

The catalytic mechanisms and molecular recognition properties of peptide synthetases have been studied for several decades [169]. Nonribosomal peptides are assembled on a polyenzyme-protein template, first postulated by Lipmann [170]. The polyenzyme model was refined into the thiotemplate mechanism (Fig. 11) in which the amino acid substrates are covalently bound via thioester linkages to active site sulfhydryls of the enzyme and condensed via a processive mechanism involving a 4 -phosphopantetheine carrier [171-173].The presence of a covalently attached pantetheine cofactor was first established in a cell-free system that catalyzed enzymatic synthesis of the decapeptides gramicidin S and tyrocidine. As in the case of fatty acid synthesis, its role in binding and translocating the intermediate peptides was analyzed [174,175]. 

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