Citrate - Fatty Acid Synthesis

Fatty Acid Synthesis

Citrate can also be transported out of the mitochondria and into the cytoplasm, then broken down into acetyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis. Citrate is a positive modulator of this conversion, and allosterically regulates the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which is the regulating enzyme in the conversion of acetyl-CoA into malonyl-CoA (the commitment step in fatty acid synthesis). In short, citrate is transported to the cytoplasm, converted to acetyl CoA, which is converted into malonyl CoA by the acetyl CoA carboxylase, which is allosterically modulated by citrate.

See also TCA cycle