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AcylCoA dehydrogenase (with appropriate reactants and cofactors) . . .

A. produces NADPH as a product
B. produces a trans alkene
C. produces NADH as a product
D. is part of the citric acid cycle
E. is part of fatty acid synthesis

a) A and E
b) B and E
c) C and E
d) D and E

User Ubuntuuber
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is an enzyme essential for the ß-oxidation of fatty acids, not for fatty acid synthesis. It introduces a double bond into acyl-CoA, with FAD being reduced to FADH2, which contributes to ATP production through the electron transport chain.

Step-by-step explanation:

The enzyme Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase plays a crucial role in the ß-oxidation of fatty acids, which is the metabolic process that breaks down fatty acids to produce energy. This enzyme catalyzes the first step in the ß-oxidation pathway, where a double bond is introduced between the alpha (α) and beta (ß) carbon atoms of the acyl-CoA molecule. In this reaction, the coenzyme Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) is reduced to FADH2, capturing the hydrogen atoms removed from the fatty acyl-CoA. This FADH2 subsequently enters the electron transport chain, where it is oxidized to generate ATP.

In contrast, fatty acid synthesis occurs in the cytosol of cells and involves a different set of enzymes. The enzyme fatty acid synthase is responsible for the iterative addition of two-carbon units to elongate the fatty acid chain. This process is reductive and uses energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents from NADPH. Therefore, Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is not involved in fatty acid synthesis but rather in fatty acid degradation.

User Yannick Richard
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