An Experimenter Studying the Oxidation of Fatty Acids in Extracts

question 9

Essay

An experimenter studying the oxidation of fatty acids in extracts of liver found that when palmitate (16:0) was provided as substrate, it was completely oxidized to CO₂. However, when undecanoic acid (11:0) was added as substrate, incomplete oxidation occurred unless he bubbled CO₂ through the reaction mixture. The addition of the protein avidin, which binds tightly to biotin, prevented the complete oxidation of undecanoic acid even in the presence of CO₂, although it had no effect on palmitate oxidation. Explain these observations in light of what you know of fatty acid oxidation reactions.

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Definitions:

Variable Costing

An accounting method where only variable production costs are included in product cost, with fixed overhead costs treated as period expenses.

Absorption Costing

An accounting method that includes all manufacturing costs (direct materials, direct labor, and both variable and fixed manufacturing overhead) in the cost of a product.

Net Profit

The amount of money a company earns after deducting all its expenses, taxes, and costs from its total revenue.

Variable Manufacturing Costs

Costs that fluctuate with the level of production, including direct materials, direct labor, and variable manufacturing overhead.