Chapter 5, Problem 15CT

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The number of acetyl-CoA molecule molecules that will be generated if a bacterium uses beta-oxidation to catabolize a molecule of the fatty acid arachidonic acid.

Introduction:

The metabolic process of beta-oxidation involves multiple steps by which fatty acid molecules are broken down to produce energy. It occurs by breaking down of long fatty acids that are converted into acyl-CoA chains into even smaller fatty acyl-CoA chains. This reaction releases acetyl-CoA, containing two carbon atoms.