How many moles of ATP are needed to synthesize one mole of l

How many moles of ATP are needed to synthesize one mole of lanosterol (precursor to cholesterol)? Which diet do you think make a person more prone to generate ketone bodies; a \"no-carb diet\" or a \"no-carb diet\" supplemented with glucogenic amino acids such as aspartate and valine? Justify very briefly.

Solution

1) All human cells have the capacity to make cholesterol, the liver is the major site of cholesterol biosynthesis with the intestine, adrenal cortex and gonads making lesser contribution.3 ATP- This adds three phosphate groups which will activate the molecule. The structure of cholesterol makes it clear that generation of many carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds that it contains requires a source of carbon atoms, a source of reducing power and the expenditure of significant amounts of energy. Acetyl-coenzyme A provides a high energy to strat with, the reducing power is provided by reduced NADPH, which is generated by the enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway. Additional energy is provided by the breakdown of ATP. Overall the production of 1 molecule of cholesterol requires 18 moles of acetyl-CoA, 36 moles of ATP and 16 moles of NADPH.

2) No-carb diet is prone to generate ketone bodies because it does not contain any amount of carbohydrates in it and hence due to very low carbohydrate it produces ketone bodies.