Purified fatty acid synthetase from liver cytoplasm generally catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate (C16) from acetyl CoA, malonyl CoA, and NADPH. The enzyme as well will function, though at considerably reduced rates, if the acetyl CoA is replaced by:
• Propionyl CoA
• Butyryl CoA
a) What do you predict will be the main product of the reaction in each of the latter two cases?
b) Explain how many can the predictions above be used to find out the method by which the fatty acids are discharged from the fatty acid synthetase?