Tuberculosis is caused by the pathogen mycobacterium tuberculosis, which currently latently infects nearly a third of the world's population. it is thought that host fatty acids can serve as a sole carbon source during infection. how does m. tuberculosis most likely metabolize fatty acids as an energy source?
a) by converting the fatty acids directly to glucose, which is then oxidized via glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
b) by a process called beta-oxidation, in which two carbon groups are removed to form acetyl-coa that enters the citric acid cycle and is oxidized to form atp and reducing power.
c) by substrate level phosphorylation that removes phosphate groups from the fatty acids and transfers them to adp to form atp.
d) by reducing them and taking the electrons and protons and entering them into the electron transport chain to set up a proton motive force to generate atp via atp synthase.