Final answer:
Oxidation of odd carbon fatty acids involves beta oxidation where the final cycle produces acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA. Propionyl-CoA is eventually converted to succinyl-CoA and enters the citric acid cycle. Additionally, omega oxidation can occur in the liver, especially during high energy demands, converting the fatty acid to alpha omega dicarboxylic acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oxidation of Odd Carbon Fatty Acids
The oxidation of fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms involves a process similar to that of even-numbered fatty acids, called beta oxidation. However, in the final cycle of beta oxidation for odd-carbon fatty acids, one molecule of acetyl-CoA and one molecule of propionyl-CoA are produced. Propionyl-CoA, being a three-carbon moiety, undergoes further metabolism. It is first carboxylated to D-methylmalonyl-CoA, isomerized to L-methylmalonyl-CoA, and then finally converted to succinyl-CoA, a four-carbon compound that enters the citric acid cycle.
Another form of fatty acid oxidation is omega oxidation, which occurs predominantly in the liver during times of high energy demand such as lactation, severe diabetes, and starvation. Omega oxidation involves the oxidation of the methyl end (omega carbon) of the fatty acid. Initially, a hydroxyl group is attached to the omega carbon by a hydroxylase enzyme. The hydroxyl group is then oxidized to form a carboxylic group, yielding an alpha omega dicarboxylic acid. Subsequently, beta oxidation can occur at both ends of the molecule, producing two molecules of acetyl-CoA.
Through these pathways, the body can effectively derive energy from the catabolism of fatty acids, whether they are saturated, unsaturated, or contain odd number of carbon atoms.