The Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids

q This gets us to a hexanoyl CoA, after the carbonyl is reduced.

q Each time a two carbon fragment is added via the enolate of acetyl CoA, following by reduction of the keto function to methylene.

q The resulting fatty acid derivative thus always has an even number of carbons.

q In naturally occurring fats and oils (triglycerides), the most common number of carbons in the fatty acid part is 12-20, with 16 and 18 predominating in many cases.