Beta oxidation of fatty acids

Beta oxidation is a metabolic pathway that occurs in the mitochondria of cells and is responsible for the breakdown of fatty acids into acetyl-CoA. It is the main process by which long-chain fatty acids are oxidized for energy production.

 

The process of beta oxidation involves several enzymatic reactions. First, fatty acids are activated by the attachment of a molecule called coenzyme A (CoA), forming fatty acyl-CoA. The fatty acyl-CoA is then transported into the mitochondria for further processing.

 

Within the mitochondria, the fatty acyl-CoA undergoes a series of cycles involving four key reactions: oxidation, hydration, oxidation, and thiolysis. These reactions result in the removal of two carbon units at a time, in the form of acetyl-CoA. The released acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle to generate energy through oxidative phosphorylation.

 

The beta oxidation process continues until the entire fatty acid molecule is completely broken down into acetyl-CoA units. The number of cycles required depends on the length of the fatty acid chain.

For better understanding, the student must watch the following YouTube videos

 

https://youtu.be/slCmrtFHFQQ

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