catabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down in the cytosol (in prokaryotes)/mitochondria (in eukaryotes) to generate acetyl-CoA (which enters the citric acid cycle) and NADH and FADH₂ (used in the electron transport chain)
In biochemistry and metabolism, beta oxidation (also β-oxidation) is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA product of this step of fatty acid metabolism enters the citric acid cycle, generating NADH and FADH2, which are electron carriers used in the electron transport chain. It is named as such because the beta carbon of the fatty acid chain undergoes oxidation and is converted to a carbonyl group to start the cycle all over again. Beta-oxidation is primarily facilitated by the mitochondrial trifunctional protein, an enzyme complex associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane, although very long chain fatty acids are oxidized in peroxisomes. Beta oxidation occurs mainly in the heart, liver and kidney.
The overall reaction for one cycle of beta oxidation is:
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