Chapter 22.

Fatty Acid Metabolism

Chem 454: Biochemistry II

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
 Introduction
Fatty acids play several important roles:
Building blocks for phospholipids and glycolipids

Target proteins to membranes

High energy source of fuel

Fatty acid derivatives are used as hormones and

intracellular messengers

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Overview of
fatty acid Introduction
synthesis

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 1. Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a highly concentrated store
of energy
9 kcal/g vs 4 kcal/g for glycogen
Glycogen is also highly hydrated, 2 g H2O/g
glycogen

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 1.1 Pancreatic Lipases
Dietary triacylglycerols must be broken down
before being absorbed by the intestines.
Bile salts, which act as detergents, are used to
solublize the triacylglycerols

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 1.1 Pancreatic Lipases
Dietary triacylglycerols must be broken down
before being absorbed by the intestines.
Bile salts, which act as detergents, are used to
solublize the triacylglycerols

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 1.1 Pancreatic Lipases
Pancreatic lipases hydrolyze the ester bonds
of the triacylglycerols while in the
micelles.

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 1.1 Chylomicrons
In the intestinal mucosal cells, the fatty acids and
monoacylglycerides are resynthesized into
triacylglycerides and packaged into
chylomicrons. Chylomicrons and lymph are
dumped via the thoracic duct into the left
subclavian vein

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 1.1 Chylomicrons
Chylomicrons and lymph are
dumped via the thoracic
duct into the left subclavian
vein.

Want to know more about

lymphatic system?
Try here:
http://owensboro.kctcs.edu/gcaplan/an
at2/notes/Notes7%20Lymphatic%20A
natomy.htm

9
 2. Utilization of Fatty Acids as Fuel
Three stages of processing
Triglycerols are degraded to fatty acids and
glycerol in the adipose tissue and transported to
other tissues.
Fatty acids are activated and transported into the
mitochondria.
Fatty acids are broken down into two-carbon
acetyl–CoA units and fed into the citric acid cycle.

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 2.1 Breakdown of Triacylglycerols
In the adipose tissue, lipases are activated by
hormone signaled phosphorylation

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 2.1 Breakdown of Triacylglycerols

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 2.1 Breakdown of Triacylglycerols
The lipases break the
triacylglycerols down to
fatty acids and glycerol
The fatty acids are
transportred in the blood by
serum albumin

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 2.1 Breakdown of Triacylglycerols
The glycerol is absorbed by the liver and
converted to glycolytic intermediates.

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 2.2 Activation of Fatty Acids
Acyl CoA synthetase reaction occurs in the on
the mitochondrial membrane.

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2.3 Transport into Mitochondrial Matrix
Carnitine carries
long-chain
activated fatty
acids into the
mitochondrial
matrix

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2.3 Transport into Mitochondrial Matrix
Carnitine carries long-chain activated fatty
acids into the mitochondrial matrix

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2.3 Transport into Mitochondrial Matrix
A Miracle???

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid
degradation involves
four reactions
1. oxidation to
trans-∆2-Enoyl-CoA

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid
degradation involves
four reactions
2. Hydration to
L–3–Hydroxylacyl CoA

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid
degradation involves
four reactions
3. Oxidation to
3–Ketoacyl CoA

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid
degradation involves
four reactions
4. Thiolysis to produce
Acetyl–CoA

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid
degradation involves
four reactions
The process repeats itself

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 2.4 Fatty acid oxidation
Each round in fatty acid degradation involves
four reactions

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 2.5 ATP Yield
The complete oxidation of the sixteen carbon
palmitoyl–CoA produces 106 ATP's

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 3.1 Special Cases
Unsaturated fatty acids
(monounsaturated)

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 3.1 Special Cases
Unsaturated fatty acids (polyunsaturated)

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 3.2 Odd-Chain

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 3.2 Odd-Chain
Vitamin B12 Homolytic Cleavage

Catalyzes group migration

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 3.5 Ketone Bodies
Use of fatty acids in the citric acid cycle
requires carbohydrates for the the
production of oxaloacetate.
During starvation or diabetes, OAA is used to
make glucose
Fatty acids are then used to make ketone bodies
(acetoacetate and D–3–hydroxybutarate)

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 3.5 Ketone Bodies
Ketone bodies, acetoacetate and
3–hydroxybutarate are formed from
Acetyl–CoA

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 3.6 Ketone Bodies as a Fuel Source
The liver is the major source of ketone
bodies.
It is transported in the blood to other tissues

Acetoacetate in the tissues

Acetoacetate is first activated to acetoacetate by
transferring the CoASH from succinyl–CoA.
It is then split into two Acetyl–CoA by a thiolase
reaction

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 3.6 Ketone Bodies as a Fuel Source

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 3.6 Ketone Bodies as a Fuel Source

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 3.6 Ketone Bodies as a Fuel Source
Atkins Diet:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/atkins-diet-what-it-is

The measure of success?

35
 3.7 Fatty Acids Cannot be Used to
Synthesize Glucose
Even though the citric acid cycle
intermediate oxaloacetate can be used to
synthesize glucose, Acetyl–CoA cannot be
used to synthesize oxaloacetate.
The two carbons that enter the citric acid cycle as
Acetyl–CoA leave as CO2.

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 Class problem

1. Explain the meaning (from a biochemistry

perspective) of the saying “fats burn in the flame of
carbohydrates.”

37
Update Alzheimer’s Treatment
 4. Fatty Acid Synthesis.
Fatty acid are synthesized and degraded by
different pathways.
Synthesis takes place in the cytosol.
Intermediates are attached to the acyl carrier
protein (ACP).
In higher organisms, the active sites for the
synthesis reactions are all on the same
polypeptide.
The activated donor in the synthesis is
malonyl–ACP.
Fatty acid reduction uses NADPH + H+.
39 Elongation stops at C16 (palmitic acid)
 4.1 Formation of Malonyl Coenzyme A
Formation of malonyl–CoA is the committed
step in fatty acid synthesis.

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 4.2 Acyl Carrier Protein
The intermediates in fatty acid synthesis are
covalently linked to the acyl carrier protein
(ACP)

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 4.3 Elongation
In bacteria the enzymes that are involved in
elongation are separate proteins; in higher
organisms the activities all reside on the
same polypeptide.
To start an elongation cycle, Acetyl–CoA and
Malonyl–CoA are each transferred to an acyl carrier
protein

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 4.3 Elongation
Acyl-malonyl ACP
condensing enzyme forms
Acetoacetyl-ACP.

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 4.3 Elongation
The next three reactions are similar to the
reverse of fatty acid degradation, except
The NADPH is used instead of NADH and FADH2
The D–enantiomer of Hydroxybutarate is formed instead of the L–enantiomer

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 4.3 Elongation
The elongation cycle is repeated six more
times, using malonyl–CoA each time, to
produce palmityl–ACP.

A thioesterase then cleaves the palmityl–CoA

from the ACP.

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4.4 Multifunctional Fatty Acid Synthase
Domain 1
Substrate entry (AT & MT) and condensation unit
(CE)
Domain 2
Reduction unit (DH, ER & KR)
Domain 3
Palmitate release unit (TE)

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4.4 Multifunctional Fatty Acid Synthase

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 4.4 Multifunctional Fatty Acid Synthase
A NEW STRUCTURE,New Orientation
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 4.5 Fatty Acid Synthase Mechanism

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 4.6 Stoichiometry of FA synthesis
The stoichiometry of palmitate synthesis:
Synythesis of palmitate from Malonyl–CoA

Synthesis of Malonyl–CoA from Acetyl–CoA

Overall synthesis

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 4.7 Citrate Shuttle
Acetyl–CoA is synthesized in the
mitochondrial matrix, whereas fatty acids
are synthesized in the cytosol
Acetyl–CoA units are shuttled out of the mitochondrial matrix as citrate:

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 4.8 Sources of NADPH
+
The malate dehydrogenase and NADP –linked
malate enzyme reactions of the citrate
shuttle exchange NADH for NADPH

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 5. Regulation of Fatty Acid Synthesis
Regulation of Acetyl carboxylase
Global
+ insulin
- glucagon
- epinephrine
Local
+ Citrate
- Palmitoyl–CoA
- AMP

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 5.1 Regulation of Fatty Acid Synthesis

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 6. Elongation and Unsaturation
Endoplasmic reticulum systems introduce
double bonds into long chain acyl–CoA's
Reaction combines both NADH and the acyl–CoA's to
reduce O2 to H2O.

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 6.1 Elongation and Unsaturation
Elongation and unsaturation convert
palmitoyl–CoA to other fatty acids.
Reactions occur on the cytosolic face of the
endoplasmic reticulum.
Malonyl–CoA is the donor in elongation reactions

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 6.2 Eicosanoid Hormones
Eicosanoid horomones are synthesized from
arachadonic acid (20:4).
Prostaglandins
20-carbon fatty acid containing 5-carbon ring
Prostacyclins
Thromboxanes
Leukotrienes
contain three conjugated double bonds

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 6.2 Eicosanoid Hormones

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 6.2 Eicosanoid Hormones

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 6.2 Eicosanoid Hormones

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 Class problem

1. Explain the meaning (from a biochemistry

perspective) of the saying “fats burn in the flame of
carbohydrates.” How would proteins fit into this
statement?

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