Term Name: | fatty acid alpha-oxidation |
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Synonyms: | |
Definition: | A metabolic pathway by which 3-methyl branched fatty acids are degraded. These compounds are not degraded by the normal peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway, because the 3-methyl blocks the dehydrogenation of the hydroxyl group by hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase. The 3-methyl branched fatty acid is converted in several steps to pristenic acid, which can then feed into the beta-oxidative pathway. |
Ontology: | GO: Biological Process [GO:0001561] QuickGO AmiGO |