What type of fatty acid is primarily synthesized by fatty acid synthase?

Fatty acid synthase is a multi-enzyme complex that primarily catalyzes the synthesis of palmitic acid, which is a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms. During the process of fatty acid synthesis, acetyl-CoA is converted into malonyl-CoA and then condensed to extend the carbon chain through a series of reactions that include reduction, dehydration, and further reduction, all of which ultimately lead to the production of palmitic acid.

Palmitic acid serves as a critical building block for other fatty acids and lipids. Once it is synthesized, it can be elongated or desaturated to form other fatty acids, but the primary product generated by fatty acid synthase is palmitic acid itself.

Other fatty acids mentioned, such as oleic acid (which is a monounsaturated fatty acid) and linoleic acid (which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid), are not the direct products of fatty acid synthase, as they require further enzymatic modifications. Stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid with 18 carbon atoms, is also not directly synthesized by this enzyme complex but rather formed from the elongation of palmitic acid. Thus, the primary fatty acid synthesized by fatty acid synthase is