Module #5: Lipids BIOSYNTHESIS

A set of vocabulary flashcards focusing on key terms and concepts related to lipid synthesis and metabolism.

Lipids

Biological molecules that are synthesized in the cytosol and mainly involved in energy storage and cell membrane structure.

Acetyl CoA

A two-carbon molecule that serves as a building block for fatty acid synthesis, synthesized in the cytosol.

Citrate-malate-pyruvate shuttle

A transport system that transfers acetyl-CoA into the cytosol for fatty acid synthesis.

ATP citrate lyase

An enzyme that converts citrate into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate in the cytosol.

NADPH

A crucial cofactor produced in the cytosol that is used in fatty acid biosynthesis.

Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS)

A multi-enzyme complex responsible for synthesizing fatty acids by catalyzing the addition of two-carbon units.

Malonyl-CoA

The product of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), used to elongate fatty acid chains.

Thiolase

An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of acyl-CoA molecules, and is involved in cholesterol biosynthesis.

HMG-CoA reductase

A key regulatory enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, targeted by statin drugs to reduce cholesterol levels.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Fatty acids that humans must obtain from their diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.

Statins

A class of drugs that inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, reducing serum cholesterol levels.

Eicosanoids

Biologically active compounds derived from 20-carbon fatty acids, involved in signaling and inflammation.

Arachidonic acid

A precursor to inflammatory prostaglandins; derived from linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid.

Phosphopantetheine

A prosthetic group attached to acyl carrier proteins crucial for fatty acid synthesis.

ACP

Acyl Carrier Protein, that carries intermediates during fatty acid biosynthesis.

Biotin

A cofactor that plays a critical role in carboxylation reactions, such as the conversion of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA.

Palmitate

The end product of fatty acid synthesis, specifically a 16-carbon saturated fatty acid.

Ubiquitinylation

A process where ubiquitin attaches to proteins to target them for degradation.

Feedback inhibition

A regulatory mechanism where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an upstream process.