Metabolism and the functions of myristic acid

Myristic acid metabolism, utilization, and biosynthesis in the cell remain unclear. Myristic acid usually accounts for small amounts of total fatty ac ids in animal tissues, but is more abundant in milk fat or in copra and pal mist oil. Dietary saturated fat containing myristate (C14:0), but also laur ate (C12:0) and palmitate (C16:0), is generally considered to induce an inc rease in plasma cholesterol. However, myristic acid exhibits other importan t specific functions: it is known to modify a number of proteins of both eu karyotic and viral origin by acylation, N-myristoylated proteins have sever al biological functions, such as signal transduction pathways, vesicular tr afficking and structural roles, which depend on the presence of myristic ac id in the cells, Therefore, myristic acid could play an important role in c ell regulation. This report examines the recent data describing the metabol ism and function of myristic acid. The origin (endogenous or dietary) of my ristic acid, its uptake by the cell, incorporation into lipids, beta -oxyda tion rate, conversion to other fatty acids by elongation and desaturation, and the acylation of proteins by this fatty acid are discussed.