MEH - Energy Production (Lipids) Flashcards
Which are more reduced, carbohydrates or lipids?
Lipids, meaning that they release more energy when oxidised but complete oxidation requires more O2.
What are the three general classes of lipids?
1) fatty acid derivatives
2) hydroxy-methyl-glutaric acid derivatives
3) vitamins
What are the different types of fatty acid derivatives?
- fatty acids
- triacylglycerols (triglycerides)
- phospholipids
- eicosanoids
What are the different types of HMG acid derivatives?
- ketone bodies
- cholesterol
- cholesterol esters
- bile acids and salts
What are the different types of fat soluble vitamins?
A, D, E and K
How are triacylglycerols structured?
Three fatty acid side chains with a glycerol backbone
When would triacylglycerols be used as an energy source?
During prolonged exercise, when in starvation, during pregnancy
What does a triacylglycerol form when it undergoes lipolysis?
A glycerol molecule and three fatty acids
Why are triacylglycerols stored in an anhydrous form?
They are hydrophobic
What controls the storage and mobilisation of triacylglycerols?
Hormones
In the first stage of metabolism of triacylglycerol, it is hydrolysed by which enzymes, and where?
Pancreatic lipases in the small intestine
Once fatty acids and glycerol are broken down in the SI, how are they transported to consumer tissues or adipose tissue?
They are recombined in the small intestine and transported as TAG by lipoproteins (chylomicrons) via lymphatics
Which tissues cannot use fatty acids?
Cells without mitochondria, eg. red blood cells, and the brain as fatty acids do not easily pass the blood-brain barrier
What happens when there is low extracellular [glucose] in adipose tissue?
Fatty acids are released as an alternative fuel
What is the general formula for fatty acids?
CH3(CH2)nCOOH where n = 13-17
True or false - fatty acids are amphipathic?
True
Why are certain fatty acids required in diet?
Because mammals cannot introduce a double bond beyond C9, so we cannot synthesise them
Where does stage two of fatty acid metabolism take place?
In the mitochondria
The first step of the second stage of fatty acid catabolism actually occurs outside the mitochondria. What is this bit?
The fatty acid is activated by linking to coenzyme A outside the mitochondrion. This uses the enzyme fatty acyl CoA synthase.
How are activated fatty acids transported across the mitochondrial membrane?
Fatty acyl-CoA donates acrylic group to carnitine. The carnitine shuttle transporter then moves the acyl carnitine through the membrane. The acyl group is donated back to a coenzyme A within the membrane.
What inhibits the carnitine shuttle?
Malonyl-coA
What happens to the activated fatty acids once they have been transported through the membrane?
They cycle through a sequence of oxidative reactions, with 2 carbons removed each cycle. They reduce FAD and NAD+
Where do the end products of fatty acid catabolism go?
The acetyl CoA goes to the Krebs cycle, and the reduced electron carriers go to oxidative phosphorylation
Which has a higher yield of ATP when broken down, fatty acids or glucose?
Fatty acids
