Fatty Acid Catabolism Flashcards
How do lipids yield energy?
Through B-oxidation of fatty acids
The liver and heart derive __% of energy from fatty acid oxidation.
80%
What is B-oxidation in short?
A four-step enzyme catalyzed process of oxidative removal of 2-carbon units from FA to form acetyl-CoA
Why are TG the best storage fuels?
- FA chains are highly reduced compounds (yield more energy)
- Insoluble in water, do not increase osmolarity in the blood
- Relatively inert; no risk of undesirable reactions when they are stored in the cell
What is the main form of storage in adipose tissue?
Storage of fat in the form of TG
Why don’t TG increase osmolarity in the blood?
Because they are hydrophobic
How are fats absorbed?
1) Bile salts emulsify fat in the small intestine
2) Intestinal lipases degrade TG into diacylglycerol, monoacylglycer, FFA, and glycerol
3) Intestinal cells absorb FA and they re-esterify them into TG
4) TG are incorporated into chylomicrons
5) Chylomicrons transport TG to tissues
6) Endothelial cells cleave the FA out of the TG from the chylomicrons with lipoprotein lipases
7) FA are absorbed into the cell
Name the lipoproteins in terms of lowest density to highest density.
- Chylomicrons (lowest)
- VLDL
- ILDL
- LDL
- HDL (highest)
What are the lipoprotein lipases of endothelial cells activated by? What do they do?
- By apo-C-II
- Cleave the FA out of the TG from the chylomicrons
How can FA be used in the cell?
- To generate energy
- Storage in adipose cells by being re-esterified to TG
Adipocytes contain a lot of fatty acids in the form of _______.
lipid droplets
How do adipocytes release FA? Which receptor is implicated?
When the glucagon receptor binds to glucagon (GPCR)
What does the binding of glucagon to its receptor lead to?
Activation of PKA
What does activated PKA do?
Phosphorylates perilipin (proteins) on the lipid droplet
What are the two consequences of phosphorylated perilipin?
- CGI58 (comparitive gene identification) gets dissociated and activates adipose TG lipase (ATGL)
- PKA phosphorylates hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)
What does ATGL do?
Converst TG into diacylglycerol and a free fatty acid
What does HSL do?
Only attacks diacylglycerol, converting it into a free fatty acid and monoacylglycerol
What does monoacylglycerol lipase do?
Attacks only on the monoacylglycerol and separates them into a free fatty acid and a glycerol
What happens when free fatty acids are broken off?
- Are in the cytoplasm
- Eventually let loose in the circulation
How are free fatty acids transported in circulation?
They are always bound to serum albumin
How many fatty acids can serum albumin bind? What are they called?
- Up to 10 NEFAs
- Non-esterified fatty acids
What do fatty acids go through to release energy?
B-oxidation, TCA cycle, and the respiratory chain
What is the fate of glycerol during TG catabolism?
- Phosphorylated by glycerol kinase to form glycerol-3-phosphate
- Oxidized by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase to form dihydroxyacetone phosphate
- Isomerized by triose phosphate isomerase to form glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
- Can enter the glycolytic pathway
What % of the energy in a TG does glycerol provide?
5%
What enzyme activates a FA so that it can undergo B-oxidation?
Fatty-acyl-CoA synthetase
How does fatty-acyl-CoA synthetase work?
1) Adenylation by ATP
2) Coenzyme A attacks
3) Forms fatty acyl-CoA and a pyrophosphate (degraded)
What is the activated fatty acid?
Fatty-acyl-CoA
Where are the enzymes of B-oxidation held?
Stuck within the mitochondria
What can fatty-acyl-CoA be used for?
To synthesize longer membrane lipids (FA synthesis)
Can fatty acids diffuse across mitochondrial membranes?
- Under 12 carbons, FA diffuse freely across the mitochondrial membranes
- Longer fatty acids need the help of a transporter (facilitated diffusion)
How do longer fatty acids cross the mitochondrial membrane?
- Facilitated diffusion
- Need the help of a transporter