Question

How many molecules of acetyl CoA will be formed during β-oxidation of a fatty acid containing a chain of ten carbon atoms?

	a.	2
	b.	3
	c.	4
	d.	5
	e.	10

Answer 1

Answer (d) 5 Beta-axidation is the prccess by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the mitodhondria to generate scetyCoA. It is the first stage in fatty acid catabolis m. Beta axidation gener ally have four steps. (a) In the pres ence of fatty aoyl CoA dehydrogenase as catalyst long chain fatty acid is dehydrogenated to form a trans double bond between carbon atoms C2 and C3. The product is atrans delta 2-enoyl CoA (b) Hydration of trans double bond of trans delta 2-enoyl CoA to form L-B-hydroxyacyl COA (c) Second dehydrogenation of L-B-hydroxyscyl COA lead to B-ketoacylCoA (d) Thidlysis occurs between C2 and C3 to releases the first two carbon units, as acetyl CoA, and an fatty acyl CoA without the two first carbons The pracess continues until all of the carbons in the fatty scid are turned into acetyl CoA Since the Acetyi group of the acetyd coA is formed by two carbons, we should divide the number of carbons in the acyl group between two. Therefore, 10 carbons ch ain: 10 carbons 12 -5 Acetyl CoA