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Review
. 2012 Jun;122(6):1958-9.
doi: 10.1172/jci63967.

Malonyl-CoA: the regulator of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation

Daniel W Foster  1
Affiliations
Review

Malonyl-CoA: the regulator of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation

Daniel W Foster. J Clin Invest. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

In the catabolic state with no food intake, the liver generates ketones by breaking down fatty acids. During the nocturnal fast or longer starvation periods, this protects the brain, which cannot oxidize fatty acids. In 1977, we published a study in the JCI noting the surprising realization that malonyl-CoA, the substrate of fatty acid synthesis, was also an inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation. Subsequent experiments have borne out this finding and furthered our understanding of molecular metabolism.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Regulation of malonyl-CoA determines the switch between fatty acid synthesis and oxidation.
Adapted with permission from the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (8).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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