Fatty acids are formed by the action of Fatty acid synthases from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA precursors. In humans fatty acids are predominantly formed in the liver and adipose tissue, and mammary glands during lactation. Most of acetyl-CoA is formed in the mitochondria and is transported into cytosol in the form of citrate. Fatty acids are aliphatic acids fundamental to energy production and storage, cellular structure and as intermediates in the biosynthesis of hormones and other biologically important molecules. ... Categories: Biochemistry stubs | Thiols ... -1... The liver is an organ in some animals, including vertebrates (and therefore humans). ... Mammary glands are milk-secreting adaptations of sweat glands and are the characteristic of mammals which gave the class its name. ...

Elongation

Much like β-oxidation, elongation occurs via four recurring reactions:

1. Condensation
2. Reduction
3. Dehydration
4. Reduction

In the second step of elongation, butyryl ACP condenses with malonyl ACP to form an acyl ACP compound. This continues until a C₁₆ acyl compound is formed, at which point it is hydrolyzed by a thioesterase into palmitate and ACP. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Palmitic acid. ...

Condensation

The first step is condensation of acetyl ACP and malonyl ACP, catalyzed by acyl-malonyl ACP condensing enzyme. This results in the formation of acetoacetyl ACP. A condensation reaction (also known as a dehydration reaction or dehydration synthesis when water is lost) is a chemical reaction in which two molecules or moieties react and become covalently bonded to one another by the concurrent loss of a small molecule, often water, methanol, or a type of hydrogen...

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Although this reaction is thermodynamically unfavourable, the evolution of CO₂ drives the reaction forward. Thermodynamics (Greek: thermos = heat and dynamic = change) is the physics of energy, heat, work, entropy and the spontaneity of processes. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ...

Reduction of acetoacetyl ACP

In this step, acetoacetyl ACP is reduced by NADPH into D-3-Hydroxybutyryl ACP. This reaction is catalyzed by β-Ketoacyl ACP reductase. The double bond is reduced to a hydroxyl group. Only the D isomer is formed. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) are two important coenzymes found in cells. ...

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Dehydration

In this reaction, D-3-Hydroxybutyryl ACP is dehydrated to crotonyl ACP. This reaction is catalyzed by 3-Hydroxyacyl ACP dehydrase. Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. ...

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Reduction of crotonyl ACP

During this final step, crotonyl ACP is reduced by NADPH into butyryl ACP. This reaction is catalyzed by enoyl ACP reductase. Illustration of a redox reaction Redox (shorthand for oxidation/reduction reaction) describes all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number (oxidation state) changed. ... Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) are two important coenzymes found in cells. ...

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