Question

A researcher observed that mice deficient in the cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase (MDH1) enzyme had decrease fatty acid biosynthesis. The researcher gave two likely reasons for this observation. what are those likely reasons? Explain based on the function of MDH1.

Answer 1

Reason- when malate dehydrogenase is deficient than citric acid cycle cannot be functional so acetyl coA produced due to breakdown of glucose by glycolysis and pyruvate dehydrogenase enzyme get accumulated. And hence this accumulated acetyl coA is used to synthesized fatty acid synthesis process.

Deficient in MDH -I , CAC is non operational and hence, accumulated intermediate like citrate will convert into Oxalo Acetate and acetyl CoA. OAA will undergo gluconeogenesis process while this acetyl coA again undergo fatty acid synthesis.

Hope it's clear..thanks