From fatty acid degradation

The tricarboxylic acid cycle not only takes up acetyl CoA from fatty acid degradation, but also supplies the material for the biosynthesis of fatty acids and isoprenoids. Acetyl CoA, which is formed in the matrix space of mitochondria by pyruvate dehydrogenase (see p. 134), is not capable of passing through the inner mitochondrial membrane. The acetyl residue is therefore condensed with oxaloacetate by mitochondrial citrate synthase to form citrate. This then leaves the mitochondria by antiport with malate (right see p. 212). In the cytoplasm, it is cleaved again by ATP-dependent citrate lyase [4] into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. The oxaloacetate formed is reduced by a cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase to malate [2], which then returns to the mitochondrion via the antiport already mentioned. Alternatively, the malate can be oxidized by malic enzyme" [5], with decarboxylation, to pyruvate. The NADPH+H formed in this process is also used for fatty acid biosynthesis. 

In animals the acetyl CoA produced from fatty acid degradation cannot be converted into pyruvate or oxaloacetate. Although the two carbon atoms from acetyl CoA enter the citric acid cycle, they are both oxidized to C02 in the reactions catalyzed by isocitrate dehydrogenase and a-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (see... 

The citric acid cycle, also known as the TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle or Krebs cycle (after its discoverer in 1937), is used to oxidize the pyruvate formed during the glycolytic breakdown of glucose into C02 and H20. It also oxidizes acetyl CoA arising from fatty acid degradation (Topic K2), and amino acid degradation products (Topic M2). In addition, the cycle provides precursors for many biosynthetic pathways. 

In the cardiac myocyte, the bulk of the ATP necessary to drive the rhythmic beating process is derived from oxidative phosphorylation (Oram et ai, 1973). The acetyl-CoAs necessary for such a process are derived from fatty acid degradation. The trafficking of fatty acids from their site of uptake (plasma membrane) to utilization (mitochondria) is a function presumably filled by the heart FABP. 

Fig. 4. Biosynthesis of MCL PHA. Substrate may result from fatty acid degradation, or from fatty acid synthesis. The substrate must be transferred from the acyl carrier protein (ACL) to Coenzyme A (CoA) if derived from fatty acid synthesis.

Some Strecker aldehydes found in many foods are listed in Table 5.16 together with the corresponding aroma quality data. Data for carbonyls derived from fatty acid degradation are found in Table 3.32. Carbonyls are also obtained by degradation of carotenoids (cf. 3.8.4.4). 

The acetyl-CoA derived from amino acid degradation is normally insufficient for fatty acid biosynthesis, and the acetyl-CoA produced by pyruvate dehydrogenase and by fatty acid oxidation cannot cross the mitochondrial membrane to participate directly in fatty acid synthesis. Instead, acetyl-CoA is linked with oxaloacetate to form citrate, which is transported from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol (Figure 25.1). Here it can be converted back into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate by ATP-citrate lyase. In this manner, mitochondrial acetyl-CoA becomes the substrate for cytosolic fatty acid synthesis. (Oxaloacetate returns to the mitochondria in the form of either pyruvate or malate, which is then reconverted to acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate, respectively.)... 

There is evidence from a number of in vitro studies that the vitamin E peroxyl radical formed during fatty-acid degradation may be converted to vitamin E plus nonradical through the actions of vitamin C (Burton et al., 1985). RA patients have reduced serum ascorbate levels (Situnayake et al., 1991) and potentially a reduced capacity for the regeneration of vitamin E. In vitro studies suggest that vitamin E becomes a pro-oxidant when ascorbate levels are low (Bowry and Stocker, 1993). 

Synthesis of PHAMCL from fatty acids such as octanoic acid or from the corresponding alkanes such as octane was first detected in P. oleovorans [119]. The alkanes are oxidized to the fatty acids the latter are activated by thiokinases and then degraded via the fatty acid /1-oxidation pathway. Obviously intermediates of this pathway accumulate under conditions favorable for the synthesis of PHA and are subsequently converted into substrates for the PHA synthase. Many reactions for the conversion of an intermediate of the -oxidation cycle into R-(-)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA were considered. These were ... 

Unsaturated fatty acids usually contain a cis double bond at position 9 or 12—e.g., linoleic acid (18 2 9,12). As with saturated fatty acids, degradation in this case occurs via p-oxida-tion until the C-9-ds double bond is reached. Since enoyl-CoA hydratase only accepts substrates with trans double bonds, the corresponding enoyl-CoA is converted by an iso-merase from the ds-A, cis- A isomer into the trans-A, cis-A isomer [1]. Degradation by p-oxidation can now continue until a shortened trans-A, ds-A derivative occurs in the next cycle. This cannot be isomerized in the same way as before, and instead is reduced in an NADPH-dependent way to the trans-A compound [2]. After rearrangement by enoyl-CoA isomerase [1 ], degradation can finally be completed via normal p-oxidation. 

Enzyme defects are also known to exist in the minor pathways of fatty acid degradation. In Refsum disease, the methyl-branched phytanic acid (obtained from vegetable foods) cannot be degraded by a-oxidation. In Zellweger syndrome, a peroxisomal defect means that long-chain fatty acids cannot be degraded. 

While MS-MS allows for unequivocal identification of most metabolites, there are a few exceptions. In particular, the short-chain acylcarnitines of 4 and 5 carbons represent more than one analyte. C4-Acylcarnitine is known to be a mixture of bu-tyrylcarnitine derived from fatty acid metabolism and isobutyrylcarnitine derived from the metabolism of valine (Fig. 3.2.3) [21, 58]. C5-Acylcarnitine is a mixture of isovalerylcarnitine and 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine derived from leucine and isoleucine degradation, respectively (Fig. 3.2.4) [20, 59]. Samples of patients treated with antibiotics containing pivalic acid may contain pivaloylcarnitine another C5 species... 

Parallel Pathways for Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Degradation The carbon skeleton of leucine is degraded by a series of reactions closely analogous to those of the citric acid cycle and j8 oxidation. For each reaction, (a) through (f), indicate its type, provide an analogous example from the citric acid cycle or /3-oxidation pathway (where possible), and note any necessary cofactors. 

Energy yield from fatty acid oxidation The energy yield from ihe P-oxidation pathway is high. For example, the oxidation of a molecule of palmitoyl CoA to C02 and H20 yields 131 AIRs (Figure 16.19). A comparison of the processes of synthesis and degradation of saturated fatty acids with an even number of car bon atoms is provided in Figure 16.20. 

During a fast, the liver is flooded with fatty acids mobilized from adipose tissue. The resulting elevated hepatic acetyl CoA produced primarily by fatty acid degradation inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase (see p. 108), and activates pyruvate carboxylase (see p. 117). The oxaloacetate thus produced is used by the liver for gluconeogenesis rather than for the TCA cycle. Therefore, acetyl Co A is channeled into ketone body synthesis. 

Two epimeric amino alcohols, 2(5)-aminotetradeca-5,7-dien-3(5)- and -3(/ )-ol (305 and 306) were isolated from a sponge from Papua New Guinea (Xestospongia sp.) (248). The absolute stereochemistry was disclosed by degradation to L-alanine, and these amino alcohols (305 and 306) were suggested to be biosynthesized from fatty acids and alanine. Compounds 305 and 306 show antimicrobial activity. Rhizochalin (307) was isolated from the Madagascan sponge Rhizochalina incrustata as an antimicrobial constituent (349). The biosynthetic pathway for 307 is unknown but is conventionally believed to be derived from alanine and a polyketide precursors). 

The rate of fatty acid degradation is controlled by the availability of free fatty acids in the blood which arise from the breakdown of triacylglycerols. 

The cycle oxidizes pyruvate (formed during the glycolytic breakdown of glucose) to C02 and H20, with the concomitant production of energy. Acetyl CoA from fatty acid breakdown and amino acid degradation products are also oxidized. In addition, the cycle has a role in producing precursors for biosynthetic pathways. 

The biosynthesis of fatty acids occurs extramitochondrially and by a set of enzymes that are different from those of fatty acid degradation. Nevertheless, both processes may involve the same, although not exchangeable, intermediates. Acetyl-CoA forms the building blocks of the newly synthesized fatty acid. It may be derived from glucose, amino acids, or ethanol. 

Acetyl-CoA is produced from fatty acids, proteins, and carbohydrates and is a central and major compound in intermediary metabolism. The mechanism of its formation from the degradation of fatty acids and proteins is discussed in Chaps. 13 and 15, respectively here, the means whereby carbohydrates form this most important molecule will be presented. The glycolytic pathway can yield pyruvate from all degradable sugars, and this can be converted to acetyl-CoA. Pyruvate enters the mitochondrial matrix and is the substrate for the multienzyme complex pyruvate dehydrogenase. 

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