Question

Myristoyl-CoA is a saturated fatty acid with 14 carbons attached to coenzyme A. How many molecules of ATP would be generated from the complete oxidation of a single molecule of myristoyl-CoA

Answer 1

Answer:

Total ATP molecules produced = 94 molecules of ATP

Explanation:

Myristoyl-CoA, is a saturated fatty acid with 14 carbons which has been activated for oxidation by attachment to coenzyme A. When it has undergone complete oxidation, it will yield 7 acetyl-CoA molecules and 6 FADH₂ and 6 NADH molecules each.

Each of the 7 acetyl-CoA molecules obtained from its initial oxidation enters into the citric acid cycle and is completely oxidized to yield further ATP and  FADH₂ and NADH molecules.

The overall yield of ATP from the various enzymatic steps is shown below:

Acyl-CoA dehydrodenase = 6 FADH₂

β-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase = 6 NADH

Isocitrate dehydrogenase = 7 NADH

α-Ketoglutarate dehydrogenase = 7 NADH  

Succinyl-CoA synthase = 7 ATP (from substrate-level phosphorylation)  

Succinate dehydrogenase = 7 FADH₂

Malate dehydrogenase = 7 NADH

Note: 1 FADH2 molecule yields 1.5 ATP; 1 NADH molecule yields 2.5 ATP molecules. Therefore,

Total ATP  from FADH₂ molecules = 13 * 1.5 = 19.5  

Total NADH molecules = 27 * 2.5 = 67.5

Total ATP molecules produced = 19.5 + 67.5 + 7  = 94

Total ATP molecules produced = 94 molecules of ATP