How many carbons are removed from a fatty acid in each round of beta-oxidation?

In each round of beta-oxidation, two carbons are removed from the fatty acid. Beta-oxidation is the metabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down in the mitochondria to produce acetyl-CoA, which can then enter the citric acid cycle for further energy production.

During this process, the long-chain fatty acid undergoes a series of enzymatic reactions that involve the removal of two carbon units in the form of acetyl-CoA. As the cycle continues, these two-carbon units are processed sequentially from the fatty acid chain until the entire fatty acid is converted into acetyl-CoA.

Beta-oxidation proceeds through multiple cycles, and each cycle shortens the fatty acid by two carbons. This systematic removal of two carbons is critical for maximizing the yield of energy and metabolic intermediates from fatty acids.