Ch. 15 Flashcards
What are the types of fatty acids?
- Saturated fatty acids
- Unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)
Myristate; 14:0
Palmitate; 16:0
Stearate; 18:0
Oleate
Arachidonate
What are saturated fatty acids?
Hydrocarbon chain contains only fully reduced methylene groups (no double bonds)
What are unsaturated fatty acids?
1 or more C=C double bonds in hydrocarbon chain
What are monounsaturated fatty acids?
Contain 1 C=C double bonds in hydrocarbon chain
What are polyunsaturated fatty acids?
Contain multiple C=C double bonds in hydrocarbon chain
What are essential fatty acids?
Humans must obtain them in diet because we don’t have the enzymes to synthesize them
List some essential fatty acids.
- Linoleate
- α-linolenate
- Arachidonate
What does a cis isomer look like?
What does a trans isomer look like?
Are most fatty acids cis or trans?
Cis
Do long-chain saturated fatty acids have a higher or lower melting point than long-chain unsaturated fatty acids? Why?
Higher MP because of differences in intermolecular interactions
TAGs containing mostly saturated fatty acids have a _____ MP.
Higher
TAGs containing mostly unsaturated fatty acids have a _____ MP.
Lower
What is hydrogenation?
Process of heating unsaturated fatty acids in presence of hydrogen to reduce C=C double bonds (increase degree of saturation)
What is a trans fat?
Unsaturated fatty acid where C=C double bond is in the trans configuration instead of cis
Do plant vs. animal trans fats pose the same risks?
Yes
How are carbons in fatty acids usually numbered?
From carboxylic acid end (carboxyl carbon is C-1)
How are positions of C=C bonds in polyunsaturated fatty acids often identified?
Identified using methyl carbon (omega-carbon)
What is an omega-6 fatty acid?
Unsaturated fatty acid where the double bond is 6 carbons away from the terminal methyl carbon
What is an example of an omega-6 fatty acid?
Linoleic acid
What is an omega-3 fatty acid?
Unsaturated fatty acid where the double bond is 3 carbons away from the terminal methyl carbon
What is an example of an omega-3 fatty acid?
α-linoleic acid
What is α-linoleic acid converted to?
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA)
Why are omega-3 fatty acids good?
They’re associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
What is lipidomics?
Large-scale investigation of structures and functions of the complete set of lipids in a biological system
What are waxes?
Lipid composed of long-chain fatty alcohols esterified to long-chain fatty acids
Why are waxes solids in biological contexts?
The MP of long-chain saturated wax esters is usually higher than ambient temperature
What are adipocytes?
Fat cell; site of TAG storage
Why are TAGs a major form of stored energy?
- Fatty acids are at a higher reduction state than glucose, so they yield more energy per number of carbons upon oxidation in mitochondrial matrix
- Hydrophobic nature means they are not solvated by water so they have less mass for the same amount of stored energy as glycogen
Where do we obtain TAGs from?
Diet or synthesized in liver
What is a lipoprotein?
Molecular complex made of hydrophobic lipid core surrounded by shell of polar lipids and apolipoproteins
What transports dietary TAGs?
Chylomicrons
What are lipases?
Water-soluble enzyme that hydrolyzes TAGs into free fatty acids and glycerol
What is colipase?
Regulatory protein associated with pancreatic lipase
- Enhances lipase function by binding bile acids, which inhibit lipase function
What are chylomicrons?
Large lipoprotein particles that transport TAGs from intestines to tissues throughout body
What do apolipoproteins do?
Promote lipoprotein particle formation in endomembrane system