Beta-oxidation of Fatty Acid
Beta-oxidation is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle while NADH and FADH2, which are co-enzymes, are used in the electron transport chain. It is referred as “beta oxidation” because the beta carbon of the fatty acid undergoes oxidation to a carbonyl group. Figure: Schematic demonstrating mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation and effects of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, LCHAD deficiency. Source: Wikipedia. Location of Beta-Oxidation Beta-Oxidation takes place in the mitochondria of eukaryotes while in the …Read more