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Last edited: 9/10/2021

1. FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS (PART 2)

Metabolism | Fatty Acid Synthesis | Part 2 Medical Editor: Uta Hüning

OUTLINE (2) About the substrates

I) RECAPITULATION NADPH source:

o Malic enzyme
II) FAS – FATTY ACID SYNTHASE o Pentose phosphate pathway (oxidative phase)
III) SUMMARY Malonyl-CoA source:
IV) APPENDIX o Citrate build up
V) REVIEW QUESTIONS o Citrate split into OAA + Acetyl-CoA by citrate lyase
VI) REFERENCES o Acetyl-CoA → by ACC → Malonyl-COA

Remember:
I) RECAPITULATION NADPH = reducing agent for FA synthesis
Malonyl-CoA = precursor of FA synthesis
Glucose → Pyruvate → Acetyl-CoA
Acetyl-CoA → Krebs cycle → ECT → ATP
Malonyl-CoA also inhibits FA oxidation (degradation)
AfraTafreeh.com o CAT transporter on mitochondrial membrane
(carnitine-acyltransferase)
 Type 1 (outer membrane)
 Type 2 (inner membrane)
o By: citrate lyase
o CAT-1 transports FA into mitochondria for oxidation
OAA → Malate → Pyruvate → Gluconeogenesis o Malonyl-CoA inhibits CAT-1 → favors FA synthesis
o Malate → Pyruvate by Malic enzyme, yields NADPH
Acetyl-CoA → Malonyl-CoA II) FAS – FATTY ACID SYNTHASE
o By: acetyl-CoA carboxylase FAS 1: in animals, fungi
o Inhibitors: glucagon, NE, E, LCFA FAS 2: in bacteria, archaea, plants [Zhao W. (2008)]
o Stimulators: insulin, citrate
(1) FAS-1 Structure
Large enzyme complex with different catalytic subunits
On one end: Cysteine-SH
On other end: ACP (acyl-carrier-protein)
(with 4’-phosphopantetheine group which also has SH)
o ACP will be carrying the growing fatty acyl-chain

Figure 2: Structure of FAS-1

(2) FAS-1 Action

(i) 1. step:
Bring acetyl-CoA
Release CoA (this process yields energy)
Add acetyl to ACP (this process uses this energy)
By: acetyl-transacylase
Counting carbons:
o Cysteine end: 0C
o ACP end: 2C

Figure 1: Generating the substrates for FA synthesis,

NADPH and malonyl-CoA

(1) Substrates for FA synthesis

NADPH Figure 3: First step of FA synthesis
Malonyl-CoA
FAS-1 enzyme
Acetyl-CoA

FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS (PART 2) METABOLISM: Note #1. 1 of 4

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(ii) 2. step: (vi) 6. step:
Transfer acetyl group temporarily to cysteine Convert alcohol group (C=O) into enoyl group (C-OH) by
Counting carbons: releasing H20
o Cysteine end: 2C By: 3/beta-hydroxyacyl-ACP-dehydratase
o ACP end: 0C Counting carbons:
o Cysteine end: 0C
o ACP end: 4C (has double bond C=C)

Figure 4: Second step of FA synthesis

(iii) 3. step:
Figure 8: Sixth step of FA synthesis
Bring malonyl-CoA
Release CoA (this process yields energy) (vii) 7. step:
Add malonyl to free ACP (this process uses this energy) Reduction with 1 NADPH → NADP+
By: malonyl-transacylase Convert enoyl group (C=C) into single bonds (C-H2) by
Counting carbons: adding H from NADPH
o Cysteine end: 2C By: enoyl-CoA-ACP-reductase
o ACP end: 3C
AfraTafreeh.com Counting carbons:
o Cysteine end: 0C
o ACP end: 4C (has single bonds C-H2)

Figure 5: Third step of FA synthesis

(iv) 4. step: Figure 9: Seventh step of FA synthesis

Decarboxylation: release 1C from malonyl-end as CO2 (viii) 8. step = 2. step:

Condensation: add acetyl to remaining 2C at ACP
See step 2: transfer of acyl chain from ACP to cysteine
By: acyl-malonyl-ACP-condensing enzyme
Counting carbons:
(3/beta-ketoacyl-ACP-synthase)
o Cysteine end: 4C
Counting carbons:
o ACP end: 0C
o Cysteine end: 0C
o ACP end: 4C Butyl group (has keto group C=O)

Figure 10: Repeat of second step of FA synthesis

(ix) 9. step = 3. step:

See step 3: add malonyl to free ACP
Counting carbons:
Figure 6: Fourth step of FA synthesis
o Cysteine end: 4C
(v) 5. step: o ACP end: 3C (has a keto group C=O)

Reduction with 1 NADPH → NADP+

Convert keto group (C=O) into hydroxyl group (C-OH) by
adding H2
By: 3/beta-ketoacyl-ACP-reductase
Counting carbons:
o Cysteine end: 4C (has hydroxyl group C-OH)
o ACP end: 0C
Figure 11: Repeat of third step of FA synthesis

Figure 7: Fifth step of FA synthesis

2 of 4 METABOLISM: Note #1. FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS (PART 2)

 (x) 10. step = 4. step:
See step 4: decarboxylase 1C, acyl chain condenses with III) SUMMARY
remaining 2C on ACP end
Counting carbons: (1) Add Acetyl
o Cysteine end: 0C
2C added to ACP
o ACP end: 6C (has a keto group C=O)
(2) Transfer Acetyl
2C added to cysteine
(3) Add Malonyl
3C added to ACP
(4) Decarboxylation & Condensation
Malonyl loses 1C
Figure 12: Repeat of fourth step of FA synthesis 2C acetyl fuses to 2C malonyl-residue on ACP
Keto group exists C=O (now 4C)
Repeat to add 2C with each round until palmitate (16C)
or longer FA is formed (5) Reduction
Then cleave FA from ACP AfraTafreeh.com
NADPH gives H
By: thioesterase
Changes keto group into hydroxy group C-OH (4C)
(6) Dehydration
H2O pulled out
Changes alcohol group into double bond C=C (4C)
Figure 13: Final product 16C palmitic fatty acid
(7) Reduction
Remember: NADPH gives H
How many rounds of FA synthesis do we need to Changes double bond into single bond C-C (4C)
form a 16C FA?
First round adds 4C, every next round adds 2C
16-4=12 → 12C remaining, 1st + 6 = 7 rounds total

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FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS (PART 2) METABOLISM: Note #1. 3 of 4

 IV) APPENDIX

Figure 14: Overview FA synthesis

6) How many times do we need to repeat the steps for

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V) REVIEW QUESTIONS
FA synthesis to synthesize a 16C FA?
1) What is the role of malonyl-CoA? a) 10 times
a) Stimulation of FA synthesis and FA oxidation b) 9 times
b) Stimulation of FA synthesis and inhibition of FA c) 8 times
oxidation d) 7 times
c) Inhibition of FA synthesis and FA oxidation
d) Inhibition of FA synthesis and stimulation of FA
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS
oxidation
2) How many carbons are added with each repetition?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
3) What is the minimum number of carbons before the
synthesized FA is released?
a) 10
b) 12
c) 14
d) 16
4) Arrange the steps of the FAS-1 in the correct order:
a) Reduction forming a hydroxy group
b) Dehydration
c) Decarboxylation, condensation
d) Reduction removing a double bond
5) How is the final FA released from the ACP end?
a) Automatically
b) By thioesterase
c) By decarboxylation
d) By FAS-2

4 of 4 METABOLISM: Note #1. FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS (PART 2)

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