The Effect of Carnitine on Palmitate Oxidation by Pea Cotyledon Mitochondria

Abstract
The conditions for maximum O2 uptake by pea cotyledon mitochondria oxidizing palmitate were established. It was found that CoASH, Mg2+, ATP, malate, and carnitine were necessary additions to the incubation medium. It is suggested that carnitine combines with palmitoylCoA to produce palmitoylcarnitine with the release of CoASH. The palmitoylcarnitine thus formed may penetrate the membranes of the mitochondria with greater ease than palmitoylCoA.