Question

Given that fatty acids are oxidized 2 carbons per cycle of beta oxidation, how are we able to oxidize a fatty acid with an odd number of carbons?

Answer 1

Ans :

When the beta oxidation of even numbered fatty acids is carried out , each cycle gives one molecule of acetyl Co-A , so that the chain gets shorter by 2 carbons in each round. So in the last cycle when there is fatty acid chain of 4 carbons , 2 molecules of acetyl CoA (each having two carbons) is produced.

Now the beta oxidation of odd numbered fatty acid takes place in the similar way. But in the last round , when there is a 5 carbon chain fatty acid , then one molecule of acetyl CoA and one molecule of propionyl CoA is produced.