Acyl-CoA is formed in the cytoplasm by acyl-CoA synthetase. Once acyl-CoA has been formed and transported into the mitochondria by carnitine acyltransferase it cannot be transported out of the matrix. Acyl-CoA is then used to carry out the next step of fatty acid oxidation which is beta oxidation. Beta oxidation consists of sequential cycles of four reactions in which electrons are transferred to FAD and NAD+. These four reactions are catalyzed by various different enzymes as carbons are removed as acetyl-CoA. Unsaturated even chain fatty acids are those that require additional enzymes to oxdize as they contain double bonds. These unsaturated even chains vary based on the postion of double bonds and have a small decrease in energy yield for each of the double bonds. There is a reduction in energy yield because fatty acids with double bonds are less reduced or more oxidized than saturated fatty acids therefore yield fewer ATP per carbon molecule. The end result of beta oxidation is the formation of acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA is then used in the citric acid cycle.
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