Synthesis of Triacylglycerols
Glycerol accepts fatty acids from acyl‐CoAs to synthesize glycerol lipids. Glycerol phosphate comes from glycolysis—specifically from the reduction of dihydroxyacetone phosphate using NADH as a cofactor. Then the glycerol phosphate accepts two fatty acids from fatty acyl‐CoA. The fatty acyl‐CoA is formed by the expenditure of two high‐energy phosphate bonds from ATP.
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Fatty acyl‐CoA is the donor of the fatty acyl group to the two nonphosphorylated positions of glycerol phosphate to make a phosphatidic acid. ![]()
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The third fatty acid can be added after the removal of the phosphate of the phosphatidic acid. This scheme results in a triacylglycerol, although other phosphatidic acids can be used as precursors to various membrane lipids.