<b>Metabolic modeling and comparative biochemistry in glyoxylate cycle

• Main Authors: Itamar Luís Gonçalves, Albanin Aparecida Mielniczki-Pereira, Ana Claudia Piovezan Borges, Alice Teresa Valduga
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Maringá 2016-07-01
• Series: Acta Scientiarum : Biological Sciences
• Subjects: catabolism; energy efficiency; acetyl-CoA oxidation
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/ActaSciBiolSci/article/view/24597

Glyoxylate cycle in fatty acid catabolism enhances net production of oxaloacetate, a substrate for gluconeogenesis, in certain bacteria, invertebrates and oilseed in the growth stage. A theoretical model was developed to calculate ATP amount produced in each step of the catabolic pathway, taking into account the fatty acid’s hydrocarbon chain size. Results showed a decrease in energy efficiency in glyoxylate cycle when compared to animal metabolism. Although the glyoxylate cycle provides evolutionary adaptations, it determines a smaller amount of energy produced per carbon atom when compared to animal catabolism of fatty acids.