Final answer:
The process by which fatty acids are catabolized into acetyl CoA is called β-oxidation, a series of reactions occurring within the mitochondria that ultimately contribute to ATP production. The correct answer to the question is option C) β-oxidation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sequential process of fatty acid catabolism to acetyl CoA is known as β-oxidation. During this process, fatty acids undergo a series of reactions, starting in the cytoplasm where they are activated and converted into fatty acyl CoA molecules.
After entering the mitochondria, these molecules go through β-oxidation, wherein two carbon atoms are systematically removed from the fatty acid chain to form acetyl CoA units, which are then funneled into the Krebs cycle. This crucial sequence of reactions not only generates acetyl CoA but also produces NADH and FADH2, which are essential for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation.
Fatty acid oxidation initiates in the cytosol with the activation of free fatty acids to form fatty acyl-CoA, which is then transported to the mitochondria. Inside the mitochondria, the β-oxidation cycle begins, a process involving four key reactions that shorten the fatty acid chain by two carbon atoms at a time.
The acetyl CoA produced can then enter the citric acid cycle, effectively linking the metabolism of fatty acids with the central metabolic pathways that contribute to the production of ATP.
The correct option which represents this metabolic pathway is C) β-oxidation.