Beta-oxidation is a catabolic process wherein fatty acids are broken down in the mitochondria and peroxisomes to generate acetyl-CoA, NADH, and FADH2. In peroxisomes, this pathway is particularly important for the catabolism of very long-chain fatty acids, which are first shortened before being completely oxidized in the mitochondria. The enzymes involved in this pathway, such as acyl-CoA oxidase, function as catalysts that facilitate each step of the reaction sequence.
