For the complete oxidation of a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbons, how many times must the β-oxidation cycle be repeated?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The β-oxidation cycle must be repeated 7 times for a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbons. Each cycle shortens the fatty acid by 2 carbons, so to break down a 16-carbon fatty acid into 8 acetyl-CoA units, 7 cycles are needed (since the last cycle produces the final two acetyl-CoA molecules simultaneously).

For the Complete Oxidation of a Saturated Fatty Acid with 16