Primary metabolites 1 Flashcards
what makes up a fatty acid a
hydrocarbon chain
what is special about the number of carbons that makes up the chain
there is usually an even number of carbons
what does the fatty acid chain start and end with
starts with a methyl end, omega,n
ends with a carboxyl end, delta, COOH
what does saturated/unsaturated mean
is there is a single bond its saturated
unsaturated = double bond - longer word - double
what is a fatty acid called if there are several double bonds
polyunsaterated
what does 18:3,n-3 mean
18 carbons: 3 double bonds (desaturations)
, n-3 position of the first double bond defined from the methyl end, n
what is the shorthand if the fatty acid is saturated with 18 carbons
18:0, X
what is FAS and what does it do
Fatty Acid Synthase, multi enzyme system in the cytosol, that catalyses fatty acid synthesis, a system
what does elongase do
extends the fatty acid in 2 carbon units
what do desaturases do, and what end is this worked out from
add double bonds to a fatty acid, the carboxyl COOH end
major function of fatty acids
components of phospholipids - cell membranes
what is a trigycaride
glycerol + 3 fatty acids
- fatts and oils - type of fat
important carbon storage molecule - more space efficient than carbs - they don’t hold water
what is the molecule that FAS predominantly produces - the max length molecule
palmitic acid - 16 carbons long
most common saturated FA in humans
what are essential fatty acids
we can’t make them - need to get them from our diets
what important molecule do we need to make from essential amino acids, what are they and what do they do
eicosanoids - short range hormones - for inflammation and nerve function
what are trans fatty acids
made unnaturally, as a result of the hydrogenation process - double bond formed - don’t have a kink in chain - less fluidity - not good eg, oils/butter
what is different about an unsaturated fatty acids chain and why is this bad
unsaturated fats - double bonds - have a straight chain - no kinks - this means there is less fluidity
what is the name of the fungus that produces many fatty acids, and what specifically does it produce
Mortierella alpina
immediate precursor for eicosanoids
what does EL and the delta sign (small triangle) stand for
elongase
desaturase
what type of enzymes do we lack and so what FAs can’t we produce
we lack some deltas (desaturases)
Can’t make n6 or n3 fatty acids
precursors for eicosanoids
what is the minimum requirement FA we need in our diets
need FA linoleic acid - (18:2) in the n6 family
18:3 in the n3 family
