Acetyl CoA
Acetyl CoA (acetyl Coenzyme A) is an intermediary involved in the metabolism of glucose, fatty acids and proteins. It is synthesised by the esterfication of acetate and the intermediates in fatty acid biosynthesis [1].
Saturated fatty acids are made from acetyl CoA by two enzymes - acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase[2] which are found in the cytosol of animal cells.
When pyruvate is produced by glycolysis, it reacts with coenzyme A, forming CO2, NADH and acetyl CoA in the mitochondrial matrix.
In aerobic conditions, the acetyl group of acetyl CoA is almost always oxidised to CO2 via the citric acid cycle, in the mitochondria.[3]
References
- ↑ Lodish, Berk, Kaiser, Krieger, Scott, Bretscher, Ploegh (2008) Molecular Cell Biology 6th edition 10:430
- ↑ Lodish, Berk, Kaiser, Krieger, Scott, Bretscher, Ploegh (2008) Molecular Cell Biology 6th edition 10:430
- ↑ Lodish, Berk, Kaiser, Krieger, Scott, Bretscher, Ploegh (2008) Molecular Cell Biology 6th edition 10:487