Palmitate synthesis is the process by which the 16-carbon saturated fatty acid palmitate is produced in the cytosol of cells, primarily in the liver and adipose tissue, through the fatty acid synthase complex. This process involves the repeated condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA units, powered by NADPH, to elongate the carbon chain until the 16-carbon palmitate is formed and released.

Palmitate Synthesis

16-carbon saturated fatty acid

Palmitate

Cytosol of cells

Liver and adipose tissue

The fatty acid synthase complex is a multi-enzyme protein that catalyzes the synthesis of long-chain saturated fatty acids from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA substrates in the presence of NADPH. It plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism and is a target for cancer and obesity treatment due to its involvement in cellular proliferation and energy storage.

Fatty Acid Synthase Complex

Condensation of acetyl-CoA

Malonyl-CoA units

NADPH is a crucial cofactor in anabolic reactions, providing the reducing power necessary for biosynthetic processes, such as fatty acid and nucleotide synthesis. It is primarily generated through the pentose phosphate pathway and is essential for maintaining cellular redox balance and antioxidant defense mechanisms.

NADPH

Carbon chain elongation is a biochemical process that extends the length of carbon chains in organic molecules, often through the addition of acetyl-CoA units, and is crucial in the synthesis of fatty acids and other lipids. This process is fundamental to cellular metabolism and has implications in biofuel production and metabolic engineering.

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