Question

Short / long answer type questions.
Why does the catabolism of fatty acids occur only under aerobic conditions?

Answer 1

• Fatty acid β-oxidation is the process by which fatty acids are broken down to produce energy. Fatty acids primarily enter a cell via fatty acid protein transporters on the cell surface.
  
• Once inside, FACS adds a CoA group to the fatty acid. CPT1 then converts the long-chain acyl-CoA to long-chain acylcarnitine. The fatty acid moiety in transported by CAT across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
  
• CPT2 then converts the long chain acylcarnitine back to long-chain acyl-CoA. The long chain acyl-CoA can then enter the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, resulting in the production of one acetyl-CoA from each cycle of β-oxidation.
• This acetyl-CoA then enters the TCA cycle. The NADH and FADH2 produced by both β-oxidation and the TCA cycle are used by the electron transport chain to produce ATP.