Question

Show your work and share your logic with respect to what reactions use either ATP of reduced electron carriers and what reactions produce either ATP or reduced electron carriers. Then show the final NET total of ATP’s produced for that molecule as well as the average number of ATP/Carbon of the original molecule. Note that I am asking you to think through total oxidation of the fatty acid to CO2.

Calculate the net ATPs obtained through omega oxidation of a 10:0 fatty acid.

Answer 1

omega oxidation of capric acid

1. methyl group  at the end of the fatty acid is converted to hydroxyl group

2. hydroxyl group is converted into keto group( 1 NADH = 3 ATP produced)

3.keto group is converted into carboxylic acid group (1 NADH = 3 ATP produced)

4. The dicarboxylic acid containing chain undergoes beta oxidation to form succinate and adipate( 4 NADH = 10 ATP, 4 FADH2 = 6 ATP)

5. Succinate and adipate enter in to citric acid cycle to produce carbondioxide( 5 acetyl CoA = 50 ATP)

Activation of capric acid = -2 ATP

Total = 3+3+10+6+50-2 = 70 ATP