Lipids Flashcards
What are the 4 biological roles of fatty acids?
- Building blocks for phospholipids and glycolipids
- Many molecules can be modified by the covalent attachment of fatty acids
- Fuel molecules stored as triglycerides
- Fatty acid derivatives can serve as second messengers or hormones
How does fatty acid degredation produce ATP?
It involves a series of oxidation reactions that convert fatty acids to acetyl CoA which can then be metabolised in the CAC to form energy and produce ATP.
Briefly describe the process of fatty acid synthesis:
The linkage of acetyl CoA and a malonyl unit and the process os repeated until C16 fatty acid is synthesised
What are the 4 processes of fatty acid degredation?
- Activated fatty acid is oxidised to introduce a double bond (FAD is reduced to FADH2. Occurs by a dehydrogenase enzyme
- Double bond is hydrated by a hydrotase enzyme which introduces a double bond
- hydroxyl group is oxidised to a ketone. NAD+ reduced to NADH. Done by a dehydrogenase enzyme
- Fatty acid is cleaved to form a activated acyl group (shortened by 2 carbons) and acetyl group (carbons). Done by a thiolase enzyme
Why are triglycerides such highly concentrated energy stores?
They are highly reduced. They are non polar so are stored in a nearly anhydrous form.
Describe the process of how lipids are ingested and how they get into the tissues:
They are ingested as glycerols, degraded to fatty acids for absorption across the intestinal epithelium by lipases. Triacylglycerides are are resynthesised in the epithelium, then packaged into lipoprotein transport particles called chylomicrons which eventually meet the blood. Adipose tissue and muscle then degrade the triacylglycerides back into fatty acids and glycerol for transport in the tissue. In the tissues triacyl glycerides are resynthesised and stored
What does lipases do?
They catalyse hydrolysis of bonds between the fatty acyl group and glycerol of triacylglycerol.
Triacyl glycerol (lumen of small intestine) + lipase - diacylglycerol + lipase - monoacylglycerol (muscosal cell)
What are the 3 steps as to how fatty acids can be used as a fuel source once they are in the tissues?
- Lipids must be mobilised/transported
- Fatty acids must be activated and transported to mitochondria
- Fatty acids must be broken down to acetyl coA
Describe the step of using fatty acids as a fuel source: Lipids must be mobilised/transported
Once they arrive in adipose tissue they need to be hydrolysed in a process called lipolysis (triacylgerol to fatty acids and glycerol). It is activated by epinephrine and glucagon and inhibited by insulin. The activation induces lipases to convert the triacylgerol to fatty acids and glycerol. They fatty acids are then released from adipose tissues and transported to energy requiring tissues. As fatty acids are not soluble they need to be transported in the blood by binding to serum albumin.
Describe the step of using fatty acids as a fuel source: activated and transported to mitochondria
Fatty acids must be activated and transported to the mitochondria for degredation. Fatty acid oxidation occurs in the mitochondrial matrix, but in order to enter the mitochondria, the fatty acid must first be activated through the formation of a thioester linkage to co enzyme A. ATP drives the formation of the thioester linkage between the carboxyl group of the fatty acid and the sulphydrol group of coA. This reaction takes place in the outer mitochondrial matrix and is catalysed by acetyl CoA in 2 steps. Carnitine carries long chain fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix
Describe the step of using fatty acids as a fuel source: fatty acids broken down to acetyl CoA
Fatty acids are broken down in a step by step fashion:
Oxidation (FAD) - hydration - oxidation (NAD+) - thiolysis (CoA)
The degredation of palmitoyl coA (C16) requires how many reaction cycles to produce 2 acetyl CoA’s?
7
What is the reaction sequence for 1 palmaotyl coA?
Palmitoyl CoA + 7FAD + 7NAD+ + 7CoA + 7H2O = 8 acetyl coA + 7 FADH2 + 7NADH + 7H+
How many total ATP does the degredation of 1 molecule of palmitoyl CoA produce?
106
When are ketone bodies formed?
They are formed from acetyl CoA when fatty acid breakdown predominates. The acetyl CoA can only enter the CAC if carbohydrate and fat metabolism is appropriately balanced. In conditions where this is not the case, i.e fasting or diabetes.
What are 2 examples of ketone bodies?
Acetoacetate and B-3-hydroxybuterate
What happens during starvation?
Ketone bodies are synthesised in the liver and circulate to various tissues where they act as important sources of energy
What are 3 tissue types that can use ketone bodies?
- Brain
- Heart muscle
- Renal cortex
Compare the plasma levels of glucose, ketone bodies and fatty acids on day 1 of starvation compared to day 8:
Day 1: glucose is highest, then fatty acids then ketone bodies
Day 8: ketone bodies are highest, then glucose then fatty acids
What 2 tissues are able to synthesise fatty acids?
Liver and adipose
When is fatty acid synthesis required?
During embryonic development and lactation in mammary glands
What contributes to the fact that alcoholics get liver failure?
They cannot appropriately synthesise fatty acids
What is the precursor for fatty acid synthesis?
Acetyl CoA
Where can acetyl CoA come from?
Glycolysis or FA degredation
What are the 3 main steps of FA synthesis?
- Acetyl coA needs to be transported from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm
- Linkage of 2x2 carbon units
- Palmitate converted to other FA
Where does FA degredation take place?
Mitochondrial matrix
Where does FA synthesis take place?
Cytosol
Intermediates in FA synthesis are covalently linked to:
Sulphydrol groups of an acyl carrier protein ACP
Intermediates in FA degredation are covalently linked to:
Sulphydrol group Coenzyme A
Compare the enzymes of FA synthesis to those of FA degredation:
In synthesis they are collectively called FA synthase but in degredation, they are not related
What is the reductant in FA synthesis?
NADPH
What are the oxidants in FA degredation?
FAD and NAD+
What is ACP?
Acyl carrier protein - single polypeptide chain of 77 amino acids that can be regarded as a giant prosthtic group - a macro CoA
What is the committed step in FA synthesis?
The formation of malonyl CoA because it is irreversible
Name the enzyme and reaction in step 1 of FA synthesis:
Enzyme - acetyl CoA carboxylase
Acetyl CoA + ATP + HCO3- = malonyl CoA + ADP + Pi + H+
Name the enzyme and reaction in step 2 of FA synthesis:
Transacylase
Acetyl CoA + ACP = Acetyl ACP + CoA
Name the enzyme and reaction in step 3 of FA synthesis:
Transacylase
Malonyl CoA + ACP = Malonyl ACP + CoA
Name the enzyme and reaction in step 4 of FA synthesis:
Synthase
Acetyl ACP + Malonyl ACP = acetoacetyl ACP + ACP + CO2
Name the 4 types of reactions that happen during FA synthesis:
- Condensation
- Reduction
- Dehydration
- Reduction
What carries the acetyl groups from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm for FA synthesis?
Citrate
As citrate transports acetyl CoA to the cytoplasm, what else is produced?
One mole of NADPH is generated for each mole of acetyl CoA that is transferred.