The conversion of a fatty acid into a fatty acyl-CoA is one step in the utilization of fats:

This process occurs in two steps. In the first step, the fatty acid is adenylated by a nucleophilic reaction of the carboxylate with the a-phosphate group of ATP. In the second step, the fatty acyl adenylate reacts with coenzyme A (CoA—SH).

(a) Show each step of this process.

(b) What additional reaction ensures that the reaction goes fully to completion? (See Eq. 25.23.)

Transcribed Image Text:

R-C-O + CoA SH+ ATP coenzyme A conjugate base of a fatty acid (Sec. 25.1, (Sec. 20.5) Fig. 25.1) R-C-S-COA+AMP+ pyrophosphate a fatty acyl-CoA