acetyl CoA
Alternative names
acetyl CoA
Synonyms
Examples
Acetyl-CoA may also be obtained from the oxidation of fatty acids.
Acetyl-CoA cannot be transported out of the mitochondrion.
De-aminated alanine, cysteine, glycine, serine, and threonine are converted to pyruvate and can consequently either enter the citric acid cycle as oxaloacetate (an anaplerotic reaction) or as acetyl-CoA to be disposed of as CO 2 and water.
Below is a schematic outline of the cycle: * The citric acid cycle begins with the transfer of a two-carbon acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to the four-carbon acceptor compound (oxaloacetate) to form a six-carbon compound (citrate).
However, it is doubtful that this is a meaningful effect in vivo, because citrate in the cytosol is utilized mainly for conversion to acetyl-CoA for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis.
Hence the citric acid cycle can start at acetyl-CoA when fat is being broken down for energy if there is little or no glucose available.