Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Beta-Oxidation

Further oxidation of acetyl-CoA via the tricarboxylic acid cycle generates additional FADH2 and NADH. All reduced cofactors are used by the mitochondrial electron transport chain to form ATP. The complete oxidation of a fatty acid molecule produces numerous ATP molecules. Palmitate, used as the model here, produces 129 ATPs.

Beta-oxidation pathways differ for saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The beta-oxidation of saturated fatty acids requires four different enzymatic steps. Beta-oxidation produces and consumes intermediates with a trans configuration; unsaturated fatty acids that have bonds in the cis configuration require three separate enzymatic steps to prepare these molecules for the beta-oxidation pathway.