Fatty Acid Metabolism (Part 3 of 8) - Carnitine-Mediated Transport of Acyl CoA

In this video, I discuss how activated fatty acids (Acyl CoA molecules) get from the cytosol (where they're created via Acyl-CoA Synthetase) to the mitochondrial matrix (where they can be broken down for energy via beta oxidation). Carnitine is an important molecule in this process, as are the enzymes Carnitine Acyl Transferase I, Carnitine-Acylcarnitine Translocase (CACT), and Carnitine Acyl Transferase II. Carnitine is a carrier of the activated acyl group. Carnitine Acyl Transferase I (CAT I) is also called Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase I (CPT I). CAT I converts Acyl-CoA to Acyl Carnitine, which can pass through CACT to get to the mitochondrial matrix, where the Acyl Carnitine is turned back into an Acyl-CoA. CAT I, being the first enzyme used in this transport of the activated Acyl CoA across the mitochondrial membranes, is the regulated enzyme of the pathway. In fact, it is inhibited by Malonyl-CoA, the molecule committed to fatty acid synthesis. This makes sense because fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid breakdown should not occur in the same cell at the same time. For a suggested viewing order of the videos, information on tutoring, and an opportunity to support me with donations, visit my website at the link below. Moof University Website: www.MoofUniversity.com