NANP Board Practice Exam

What is required for fatty acid synthesis?

1. ATP and biotin

2. Iron and vitamin C

3. Magnesium and zinc

4. Vitamin D and calcium

The correct answer is: ATP and biotin

The requirement for fatty acid synthesis indeed includes ATP and biotin. During the process of lipogenesis, which is the formation of fatty acids, ATP serves as an energy source needed for the various reactions involved, particularly in the conversion of acetyl-CoA to fatty acids. Biotin, on the other hand, acts as a coenzyme that is essential for the function of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the key enzyme that catalyzes the first step in fatty acid synthesis. While other substances are important for various metabolic processes, they do not directly participate in fatty acid synthesis in the same critical manner as ATP and biotin. Iron and vitamin C primarily play roles in other biochemical pathways, such as iron transport and antioxidant functions. Magnesium and zinc are crucial for numerous enzymatic reactions but are not specifically involved in the fatty acid synthesis pathway. Lastly, vitamin D and calcium are important for bone health and other physiological functions but have no direct role in the processes that synthesize fatty acids.