Respiring lipids

• Triglycerides consist of glycerol and 3 fatty acids

• Glycerol is a 3 carbon compound

• Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains that can be broken down into molecules made of 2 carbons.

Oxidation of fatty acidsx

Why lipids have a higher yield of ATP per gram than carbohydrates

• Lipids (fatty acids) have a higher hydrogen to carbon ratio than carbohydrates

• Beta oxidation of fatty acids produces reduced NAD and FAD

• More acetate is produces

• More turns of Krebs cycle

• More reduced NAD and FAD produced

• More electrons flow along the electron transport chain in oxidative phosphorylation

• More protons pumped into inter-membrane space from matrix so steeper proton gradient.

• More ATP by chemiosmosis

• Also ATP from substrate level phosphorylation in Krebs.