Description | Adipoyl-CoA is formed as the degradation beta-oxidation product (CoA ester) of the dicarboxylic acid formed via w-oxidation of fatty acids in the endoplasmic reticulum. Fatty acid oxidation is an important source of energy, especially during fasting and diabetes. Although mitochondria are considered the primary site for beta-oxidation of fatty acids for energy utilization, peroxisomes play a key role in the metabolism of a variety of lipids such as very long-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, dicarboxylic fatty acids, bile acid intermediates, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes, pristanic acid, and xenobiotic carboxylic acids. Acyl-CoA thioesterases (ACOTs) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the CoA esters of various lipids to the free acids and coenzyme A. Acyl-CoA hydrolase 8 (ACOT8, EC 3.1.2.20) preferentially hydrolyzes medium-chain dicarboxylyl-CoA esters such as Adipoyl-CoA and is responsible for the termination of beta-oxidation of dicarboxylic acids of medium-chain length with the concomitant release of the corresponding free acids. In mitochondria, Adipoyl-CoA is a substrate of the enzyme Hydroxymethylglutarate coenzyme A-transferase (E.C. 2.8.3.13). Both synthesis and degradation of dicarboxylic acids occur mainly in kidney and liver, and the chain-shortened dicarboxylic acids are excreted in the urine as the free acids. (PMID: 16141203) |