Considering the principal pathways involved, how many of the carbon atoms of glucose could maximally contribute to the net synthesis of fatty acid?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During fatty acid synthesis, each acetyl-CoA molecule contributes two carbon atoms to the growing fatty acid chain. The process begins with the conversion of glucose to acetyl-CoA via glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. From one molecule of glucose, two molecules of pyruvate are produced during glycolysis. These pyruvate molecules are then decarboxylated and oxidized, producing two molecules of acetyl-CoA that can be used for fatty acid synthesis. Therefore, only the carbons derived from these two acetyl-CoA molecules (4 carbons in total) can contribute to the net synthesis of fatty acids, making answer B the correct choice.

Considering the Principal Pathways Involved, How Many of the Carbon