Alpha-oxidation

Phytanic acid (3,7, 11,15-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid) is a branched chain fatty acid, which is a constituent of the human diet. The presence of the 3-methyl group of phytanic acid prevents degradation by beta-oxidation. Instead, the terminal carboxyl group is first removed by alphaoxidation. The mechanism of the alpha-oxidation pathway and the enzymes involved are described in this review. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.