Myristic acid

Myristic acid is a saturated fatty acid with 14 carbon atoms, common in nutmeg, coconut oil, and animal and plant fats.

Fatty acid: A molecule with a hydrocarbon chain and a carboxyl group, often serving as a component of fats and oils. Myristic acid is one member of this broad molecular family.
Fatty acid synthesis: The metabolic pathway that builds fatty acids from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA. This pathway produces myristic acid as a 14-carbon intermediate.
Coconut oil: An edible oil extracted from coconut kernels, rich in saturated fatty acids. It is a familiar dietary source of myristic acid.
Protein lipidation: The covalent attachment of lipid groups to proteins, altering their localization or interactions. Myristoylation is one specific form of this broad protein-modification process.
Myristica fragrans: A tropical evergreen tree whose seeds are the source of nutmeg and mace. Its seed fat, historically called nutmeg butter, is especially rich in myristic acid.
Saturated fatty acid: A fatty acid whose carbon chain contains no carbon–carbon double bonds. Myristic acid’s carbon chain is fully saturated with hydrogen.
Fatty acid synthase: A multifunctional enzyme complex that assembles fatty acid chains through repeated reactions. Its chain-building activity can release myristic acid before further elongation.
Nutmeg: A spice made from the seed of the tropical tree Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg’s fixed oil contains myristic acid and related lipids.
N-myristoylation: A protein modification that attaches a myristoyl group to an N-terminal glycine residue. It uses myristic acid to help direct proteins to cellular membranes.
Palm kernel oil: An edible oil extracted from the kernel of the oil palm fruit. It is a concentrated plant source of myristic acid alongside coconut oil.

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