Fatty acid biosynthesis Flashcards
Give an example of specialised signalling molecules
phosphatidyl inositol
What is the biosynthesis of fatty acids
- Synthesis requires energy and reducing equivalents- opposite of breakdown (beta-oxidation)
- Breakdown (oxidation) of fatty acids- releases energy and reducing equivalents
- The body is a dynamic system in which fatty acids are constantly being broken down and synthesised
How much fatty acids are generally turned over per day
- 200g of fatty acids are turned over per 24 hrs
2. This turnover accounts for 8% of the body’s basal 02 consumption
What is the major biosynthetic product of fatty acid synthesis
- Palmitic acid: C16:0
2. CH3(CH2)14COOH
What do most naturally occurring fatty acids have
- Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an even number of carbon atoms
- Synthesised in way that adds 2 carbon units at a time to the growing fatty acid chain
Where does breakdown occur and where does synthesis occur
- Breakdown- mitochondria
2. Synthesis- cytoplasmic
What else does breakdown need
- NAD+/NADH
2. No CO2
What does synthesis need
- NADP+/NADPH
2. CO2 required as HCO3-
Describe the first two steps in the experiment which showed that synthesis occurs in the cytosol
- Homogenise tissue- make into a mixture that looks all the same- by blending tissue
- release internal contents
- Centrifuge at 100000 x g
- Centrifuge separates contents-Lumpy and heavy things sink quickly
- Forms a soluble fraction and a pellet
Describe what is found in the soluble fraction and pellet
- Soluble fraction-
a) No membrane fractions
b) Only soluble proteins - Pellet-
a) Nuclear material
b) Mitochondrial fragments
c) All membranous debris
What happens once the soluble fraction and pellet have formed
- Can then assay pellet and soluble fraction to see where activity is- which will synthesis fatty acid
- Soluble fraction- synthesis fatty acids
- Treat with a salt (proteins have a hydration cell with lots of water molecules in the outside and hold each other in solution)
- Take away water with salt and so doesn’t have a hydration cell around it and so comes out of solution
- Makes solution more concentrated effectively
- See which protein precipitate first and eventually have all the proteins without the salt or water
- Fractionate the original and test each fraction to see if it has the reaction were looking for
What was the result of the experiment
- none of fractions give fatty acid biosynthesis on its own
- Only need to combine 2 fractions (unusual because lots of enzymes involved in breakdown)
- One of these fractions contain biotin
What are the two steps of fatty acid biosynthesis
- The ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA carboxylase forming malonyl-CoA
- Exergonic decarboxylation of malonyl group in the condensation reaction catalysed by fatty acid synthase
Describe the basics of the first step of fatty acid biosynthesis
- Activation step Acetyl-CoA is carboxylated to form malonyl-CoA
- This step does not occur without biotin
- Catalysed by acetyl CoA carboxylase
- This stage is irreversible
- Is a two-step process very similar to that of pyruvate carboxylase
Describe the mechanism of the first step of fatty acid biosynthesis
- First carbon part from bicarbonate ion attaches to biotin which is covalently linked to biotin to form biotin-CO2 complex
- This is transcarboxylated to move CO2 on to acetyl part of CoA
- Acetyl-CoA carboxylase is not a single protein- made up of 3 protein parts each carry out different thing