描述
Fatty acid degradation in most organisms occurs primarily via the beta-oxidation cycle. In mammals, beta-oxidation occurs in both mitochondria and peroxisomes, whereas plants and most fungi harbor the beta-oxidation cycle only in the peroxisomes. However, the oxidation ceases at octanyl CoA. It is believed that very long chain (greater than C-22) fatty acids undergo initial oxidation in peroxisomes which is followed by mitochondrial oxidation. One significant difference is that oxidation in peroxisomes is not coupled to ATP synthesis. Instead, the high-potential electrons are transferred to O2, which yields H2O2. The enzyme catalase, found exclusively in peroxisomes, converts the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Peroxisomal β-oxidation also requires enzymes specific to the peroxisome and to very long fatty acids. There are three key differences between the enzymes used for mitochondrial and peroxisomal β-oxidation: beta-oxidation in the peroxisome requires the use of a peroxisomal carnitine acyltransferase (instead of carnitine acyltransferase I and II used by the mitochondria) for transport of the activated acyl group into the peroxisome. The first oxidation step in the peroxisome is catalyzed by the enzyme acyl CoA oxidase. The beta-ketothiolase used in peroxisomal beta-oxidation has an altered substrate specificity, different from the mitochondrial beta-ketothiolase. In mitochondria, the beta-oxidation pathway includes four reactions that occur in repeating cycles with each fatty acid molecule. In each cycle, a fatty acid is progressively shortened by two carbons as it is oxidized and its energy captured by the reduced energy carriers NADH and FADH2. At the end of each cycle of four reactions, one acetyl-CoA two-carbon unit is released from the end of the fatty acid, which then goes through another round of beta-oxidation, continuing to oxidize and shorten even-chain fatty acids until they are entirely converted to acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA generated in beta-oxidation enters the TCA cycle, where it is further oxidized to CO2, producing more reduced energy carriers, NADH and FADH2. These carriers produced in the TCA cycle, along with those produced directly in beta-oxidation, transfer their energy to the electron transport chain where they drive the creation of the proton gradient that supports mitochondrial ATP production. Another destination of acetyl-CoA is the production of ketone bodies by the liver that are transported to tissues like the heart and brain for energy.