Final answer:
A total of 36 ATPs are produced from the complete oxidation of a 14-carbon fatty acid. The calculation involves accounting for ATPs generated from 6 cycles of β-oxidation, additional ATPs from the last acetyl-CoA molecule, minus the activation cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
ATP Yield from the Oxidation of a 14-Carbon Saturated Fatty Acid
To calculate the number of ATPs generated from one saturated 14-carbon fatty acid, we can use the provided information about fatty acid oxidation. Fatty acid oxidation comprises repetitive cycles, with the exception of the last cycle, and the ATP yield for each cycle can be determined based on the energy currency molecules produced: FADH₂, NADH, and acetyl-CoA.
First, we need to determine the number of cycles for a 14-carbon fatty acid, which is ½n - 1 or 7 - 1, equating to 6 cycles. During each cycle, one molecule of FADH₂ and NADH are produced, which are equivalent to 1.5 ATPs and 2.5 ATPs, respectively. This gives us 6 cycles × (1 FADH₂ + 1 NADH) × their respective ATP values, plus an additional 10 ATPs from the last acetyl-CoA, followed by a subtraction of 2 ATPs for activation. As we are asked to ignore any mention of palmitic acid, we will continue with the calculation for our specific case—the 14-C fatty acid.
- For the 14-C fatty acid:
(6 cycles × (1.5 ATP + 2.5 ATP)) + 10 ATP - 2 ATP (activation cost) = (6 × 4) + 10 - 2 = 36 ATPs.
In the end, a total of 36 ATPs are produced from the complete oxidation of a saturated 14-carbon fatty acid, when accounting for the ATPs generated from the oxidation of FADH₂ and NADH in the electron transport chain (ETC) plus the acetyl-CoA entering the citric acid cycle.