The Biochemistry of Movement > 9.7.6. Fats are oxidised to release energy in cells > The Decomposition of Fatty Acids >
Explain that the decomposition of fatty acids occurs by oxidative removal of 2-carbon fragments and identify the 2-carbon fragments as part of acetyl-CoA
- Fatty acids are broken down, with acetyl-CoA as the end product of their oxidation.
- Fatty acid oxidation occurs through the repeated removal of a 2-carbon fragment, each time leaving a fatty acid with two less carbons in its chain. This continues until the entire chain is broken down.
- Since naturally occurring fatty acids have even numbers of carbons, the only product will be acetyl-CoA.
- The 2-carbon fragments end up in the acetyl part CH3CO, which is attached through Sulfur to the rest of the Coenzyme A molecule.