BCH 401 Note 2-1
BCH 401 Note 2-1
BCH 401 Note 2-1
❖A small protein colipase helps bind the water-soluble lipase to the lipid substrates
and also activates lipase by holding it in a conformation with an open active site.
❖The initial products of fat hydrolysis are free fatty acids (primarily long-chain
molecules) and monoacylglycerols.
❖Chylomicrons
7
Size & Compositions of Lipoproteins
8
Chylomicrons
❖Chylomicrons are formed in the endoplasmic reticulum in the
absorptive cells (enterocytes) of the small intestine.
❖They are the largest lipoproteins, consisting of approximately
98% lipid and 2% protein.
❖They are present in the blood only after a meal.
❖They deliver TAGs and cholesterol from the intestine via the
lymph and blood to tissues such as muscle (for oxidation) and
adipose tissue (for storage). 9
Very Low Density Lipoproteins
❖Very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs) consist of approximately
90% lipid and 10% protein; accounting for their very low density.
❖They are formed in the liver and carry lipids synthesized in the
liver, or needed by the liver, to other tissues such as adipose
tissue.
❖They also bind many important drugs that are sparingly soluble in
water.
13
Lipid Biosynthetic Pathways
❖In addition to dietary fats, storage lipids stored in the
adipose tissues are one of the main sources of energy for
living organisms.
❖Many of the enzymes for the fatty acid synthesis are organized into a
multienzyme complex called fatty acid synthase.
❖The major sites of fatty acid synthesis are adipose tissue and the liver.
15
Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Contd.
16
Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Contd.
17
Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Contd.
❖Some sphingolipids contain C22 and C24 fatty acyl groups. These and other
long chain fatty acids are generated by enzymes known as elongases,
which extend the C16 fatty acid produced by fatty acid synthase.
❖Elongation can occur in either the endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondria.
The endoplasmic reticulum reactions use malonyl-CoA as the acetyl-group
donor and are chemically similar to those of fatty acid synthase.
❖In the mitochondria, fatty acids are elongated by reactions that more
closely resemble the reversal of β oxidation but use NADPH.
18
Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Contd.
❖ Desaturases introduce double bonds into saturated fatty acids. These reactions take
place in the endoplasmic reticulum, catalyzed by membrane-bound enzymes.
❖ The electrons removed in the dehydrogenation of the fatty acid are eventually
transferred to molecular oxygen to produce H2O.
❖ The most common unsaturated fatty acids in animals are palmitoleate (a C16
molecule) and oleate (a C18 fatty acid), both with one cis double bond at the 9,10
position.
❖ Elongation can follow desaturation (and vice versa), so animals can synthesize a
variety of fatty acids with different chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation.
19
Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Contd.
❖ However, mammals cannot introduce double bonds at positions beyond C9 and therefore
cannot synthesize fatty acids such as linoleate and linolenate. These molecules are
precursors of the C20 fatty acid arachidonate and other lipids with specialized biological
activities.
❖ Mammals must therefore obtain linoleate and linolenate from their diet. These essential
fatty acids are abundant in fish and plant oils.
❖ Unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond three carbons from the end, omega-3 fatty
acids, may have health benefits.
❖ A deficiency of essential fatty acids resulting from a very-low-fat diet may elicit symptoms
such as slow growth and poor wound healing.
20
Triglyceride Biosynthesis
❖The phosphatidic acid is a precursor for triglyceride
biosynthesis.
22
Membrane Lipid Biosynthesis
❖There are two major classes of membrane lipids: glycerophospholipids and
sphingolipids.
❖Although many different membrane lipids are synthesized in our body, pathways
share the same pattern.
❖The first step is synthesizing the backbone (glycerol or sphingosine), the second
step is addition of fatty acids to the back bone to make phosphatidic acid.
24
Cholesterol Biosynthesis Contd.