Lipid Metabolism: The Catabolism of both carbohydrates and the fatty acids derived from fat is oxidative. Briefly compare the energy yield per carbon atom from a hexose, D-glucose and a fatty acid, palmitic acid. Why is energy yield per carbon greater for complete oxidation of a sugar?
A hexose sugar produce 2 ATP and 2 NADH molecules in the process of glycolysis in process of oxygen.
While a complete oxidation of glucose molecule produces 36 ATP molecules. While on the other hand palmitic acid molecule produces 129 ATP molecules. Palmitic acid undergoes NADH and FADH2 through beta oxidation while TCA cycle produced ATP directly.
Glucose has 6 carbon atoms and it produces 36 ATP, while a Palmitic acid has 18 to 22 carbon atoms. The per carbon atom yield is higher in case of glucose molecule this is because of higher number of electrons around the carbon atom in carbohydrates
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