Beta oxidation

Beta oxidation is a metabolic pathway that sequentially shortens fatty acyl chains by two carbon atoms, producing acetyl-CoA, NADH, and FADH₂.

Fatty acid activation: An ATP-dependent reaction that attaches coenzyme A to a fatty acid, forming fatty acyl-CoA. Beta oxidation generally begins after this step makes fatty acids usable by the pathway.
Fatty acid: A carboxylic acid with a hydrocarbon chain, commonly used as a fuel and as a component of lipids. Fatty acids supply the carbon chains that beta oxidation progressively shortens.
Mitochondrion: A membrane-bound organelle that performs many cellular energy-producing reactions in eukaryotes. Most fatty acid beta oxidation in eukaryotic cells occurs in mitochondria.
Alpha oxidation: A fatty acid degradation pathway that removes one carbon from the carboxyl end of a branched fatty acid. It handles branched substrates that obstruct the usual beta-oxidation sequence.
Carnitine shuttle: A transport system that carries long-chain fatty acyl groups across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Long-chain fatty acids need this transport system to reach mitochondrial beta oxidation.
Coenzyme A: A cofactor that carries acyl groups through metabolic reactions using a reactive thiol group. Its thioester bond holds fatty acyl chains and acetyl groups during the pathway.
Peroxisome: A membrane-bound organelle that carries out oxidative reactions, including shortening of very-long-chain fatty acids. Peroxisomes begin the breakdown of fatty acids too long for efficient mitochondrial oxidation.
Omega oxidation: A fatty acid oxidation pathway that modifies the terminal methyl group, producing dicarboxylic acids. It provides an alternative route when mitochondrial beta oxidation is impaired or insufficient.
Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase: An enzyme family that catalyzes the first oxidation step of mitochondrial beta oxidation. Its chain-length-specific members initiate successive rounds of the pathway.
Flavin adenine dinucleotide: A redox cofactor that accepts electrons in reactions catalyzed by flavoproteins. The first oxidation step transfers electrons to FAD, generating FADH₂.

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