Which of the following enzyme is not a component of fatty acid synthase complex?
**Core Concept:**
Fatty acid synthase complex (FASN) is a multi-enzyme complex that catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate, the first and rate-limiting step in de novo fatty acid synthesis. The complex consists of multiple enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right:**
The correct answer is **D** because it is not a component of the fatty acid synthase complex. Fatty acid synthase complex consists of specific enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis. It is essential to understand that FASN is made up of multiple enzymes, and not all enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis are part of the complex.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect:**
A. Fatty acid synthase complex (FASN) is a multi-enzyme complex that plays a crucial role in fatty acid synthesis, making it incorrect for it not to be a part of the complex.
B. Citrate synthase (CS) is an enzyme involved in the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), not fatty acid synthesis. It catalyses the first step of the cycle, the condensation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate to form citrate.
C. Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is responsible for the decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA, generating malonyl-CoA dehydratase, which is a component of the fatty acid synthase complex.
E. Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is involved in regulating the activity of fatty acid synthase complex by modulating the concentration of malonyl-CoA, a key substrate for the complex.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact:**
Understanding the role of enzymes and complexes in fatty acid synthesis is crucial for understanding lipid homeostasis and its connection to diseases like obesity and fatty liver diseases. Moreover, this knowledge is essential for therapeutic strategies targeting fatty acid synthesis in various clinical scenarios, such as treating lipid disorders or developing drugs that modulate fatty acid synthesis.
**Correct Answer Explanation:**
The correct answer is **E** because malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is responsible for the decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA, generating malonyl-CoA dehydratase, which is a component of the fatty acid synthase complex. This enzyme plays a vital role in regulating the activity of the complex by modulating the concentration of malonyl-CoA, a crucial substrate for the fatty acid synthase complex.
**Why the Wrong Options are Incorrect:**
A. Fatty acid synthase complex (FASN) is a key enzyme in fatty acid synthesis, but it is not the correct answer as it is an enzyme, not a regulatory enzyme like MCD.
B. Carboxylase is an enzyme involved in carboxylation reactions and not decarboxylation reactions, which is the role of MCD.
C. Enoyl-CoA hydratase is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA from enoyl-CoA and H2O, not