b Oxidation

Energy from Fats

Overview
Just the
first part
is
different!
Definition
b Oxidation fatty acids are used to make
Acyl-CoA molecules and broken down in
mitochondria to make Acetyl-CoA
molecules, which can enter the Krebs
Cycle.
Acyl-CoA temporary compound formed
when coenzyme attaches to fatty acid
Step 1: Activation of Fatty Acids by
Acetyl CoA
Note: 2P from ATP are
utilized in this process
Step 2: AcylCoA Enters the Matrix
Step 3:
Oxidation
of
AcylCoA
1. FAD
+
oxidizes the bond
between C
2
and C
3

2. Adding water results in
the addition of OH to C
3

3. NAD
+
oxidizes that OH
to a carbonyl group
4. CoA cleaves the bond
between C
2
and C
3

Notes
C
1
= alpha C (C
a
) and C
2
= beta C (C
b
),
hence the term beta oxidation
Products:
AcylCoA (which undergoes b oxidation again)
Acetyl CoA (which enters the Krebs cycle)
NADH and FADH
2
(which are utilized by ETC)

ATP Yield
Example: Palmitate
(16 C)
1) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA
2) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA
3) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA
4) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA
5) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA
6) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA
7) CH
3
-CH
2
-CH
2
-CO-CoA + CH
3
-CO-CoA

After the 7th round you are left with an 8th acetyl CoA (CH
2
-CO-CoA).
Palmitoyl CoA + 7FAD + 7NAD + 7CoA + 7H
2
O 8Acetyl CoA + 7FADH
2
+ 7NADH + 7H+
8 acetyl CoA enter citric acid cycle and give:
24 NADH = 72 ATP (by oxidative phosphorylation)
8 FADH
2
= 16 ATP (by oxidative phosphorylation)
8 GTP = 8 ATP
7 NADH generated by beta oxidation itself =
21 ATP (by oxidative phosphorylation)
7 FADH
2
generated by beta oxidation itself =
14 ATP (by oxidative phosphorylation)
Total number of ATP from 1 molecule of palmitate =
72 + 16 + 8 + 21 + 14 = 131.
But REMEMBER:
we used to high energy phosphate bonds (equivalent of 2
ATP) to activate palmitate to palmitoyl CoA. Therefore, the
ATP yield is 129.
How much ATP did Palmitate yield?