2.4 adaptations for nutrition Flashcards
mode of nutrition: autotrophic definition
- an organism that produces its own food
synthesis of complex organic chemicals from simpler inorganic substances using an energy source
mode of nutrition: photoautotrophic definition
uses LIGHT ENERGY to combine inorganic substances into complex organic chemicals
- an organism which obtains its nutrition through photosynthesis
mode of nutrition: chemoautotrophic definition
uses CHEMICAL ENERGY, from chemicals such as hydrogen sulphide, to combine inorganic substances into complex organic chemicals
- an organism which obtains its nutrition through inorganic molecules, e.g sulfur, in the absence of light
mode of nutrition: heterotrophic definition
- an organism that cannot produce its own food
- it obtains energy by feeding on organic compounds produced by other organisms
- cannot synthesise its own complex organic chemicals
- it must digest organic chemicals produces by other organisms and use the products of digestion to synthesise their own organic chemicals
mode of nutrition: saprotrophic/saprobiontic definition
- an organism that feeds by extracellular digestion e.g fungi
- extracellular digestion of dead or decayed organic matter
- enzymes are secreted by an organism which then digest the organic chemicals of the substrate on which they live
- the products of digestion are then absorbed by the saprotroph
mode of nutrition: holozoic definition
- absorption of organic matter followed by internal digestion of the organic chemicals within the organism
mode of nutrition: parasitic definition
- living in or on another host organism, whereby nourishment is obtained from a host organism, usually to the detriment/harm of the host
(ectoparasites live on the outside of a host organisms, while endoparasites live inside a host organism, some are intracellular, and others are extracellular)
mode of nutrition: symbiosis/mutualism definition
- many organisms live in/on other organisms in a relationship that provides benefit to both organisms
where do ectoparasites live?
where do endoparasites live?
- ectoparasites = live on the outside of a host organisms
- endoparasites = live inside a host organism, some intracellular, and others extracellular
all photoautotrophic organisms carry out ____?
photosynthesis
- combining CO2 and water to produce their own organic compounds
- this process uses energy from photons of light and transfers light energy into chemical energy
what does the process of photosynthesis turn energy from and into?
transfers light energy into chemical energy
what is the equation of photosynthesis?
carbon dioxide + water —> glucose + oxygen
many chemoautotrophs are members of the Archaebacteria, extremophiles that live in conditions that are uninhabitable by most organisms
e.g.
- pyrolobus - extreme thermophile living in temps of >100°C
- methanococcus - lives in stomach of a cow and uses ethanoic acid as energy source
some bacteria are also chemoautotrophs e.g
- nitrosomanas - obtain their energy from ammonia
all animals and fungi and many bacteria and archaea are ____?
heterotrophic
- they obtain their energy and organic compounds by digesting the organic compounds produced by other organisms
- they then use the products of digestion to synthesis their own organic compounds
heterotrophic organisms need food sources that contain complex organic chemicals as sources of:
- carbon = for making their own organic chemicals
- nitrogen = for making proteins and nucleic acids
- phosphate = for ATP, phospholipids and nucleic acids
- vitamins and minerals = for making a wide range of biochemicals
- energy
what are the several different forms of heterotrophic nutrition?
- saprophytic nutrition
- parasitic nutrition
- holozoic nutrition
what happens in saprotrophic nutrition?
- extracellular enzymes are secreted from the organism which then digest whatever the organisms are growing on
- the products of digestion are then absorbed and used by the organisms as their sources of energy and raw materials
e.g fungi and many bacteria
how do fungi describe saprotrophic nutrition?
- fungi, and moulds, are responsible for the breakdown of large volumes of dead organic matter, including food
- they grow as hyphae, microscopic fibres that may have distinct cell walls between adjacent cells, partial cell walls or none at all
- fungal hyphae grow on e.g bread
- extracellular enzymes from growing tips
- digestion takes place outside the body
- nutrients are absorbed from all over the hyphae
- this is an example of heterotrophic nutrition, as the fungus is unable to synthesis complex organic chemicals from inorganic chemicals and cannot utilise energy from sources other than organic chemicals
what are parasites?
- organisms that live in (endoparasites) or on (ectoparasites) another organsim
- they obtain nourishment at the expense of the host
- usually cause harm to the host
animas which are parasites are usually highly specialised to be able to survive, obtain nutrition and reproduce in or on their host organism
what is the primary host organism in parasitic nutrition?
primary host organism = where the adult forms of the parasite develops
what is the secondary host in parasitic nutrition?
secondary hosts = where larval/intermediate forms of the parasite are found
what are the vectors in parasitic nutrition?
vectors = secondary hosts which actively and directly transfer the parasite from one primary host to another primary host
e.g malaria
what are examples of endoparasites?
- pork tapeworm (Taenia solium)
- beef tapeworm (Taenia saginata)
what are examples of the structural adaptations of tapeworms to enable them to live in the digestive system of an animal?
- the head of the tapeworm is called the scolex. this is embedded in the gut walk and has hooks and suckers to prevent it being dislodged by peristalsis
- there is no digestive system or mouth as the tapeworm only needs to absorb nutrients that have already been digested
- the body is flat to increase surface area for absorption of nutrients from the gut contents
- each proglottid is covered in a thick cuticle which is resistant to the action of the digestive enzymes. they also secrete mucus and enzyme inhibitors to reduce the risk of digestion
- respiration is anaerobic as there is no oxygen in the gut lumen
- each proglottid is hermaphrodite containing both male and female reproductive organs. ∴ it doenst need to find a mate as it can self-fertilise. each proglottid can contain about 50,000 eggs, this increases the chance of infecting another host
- thick cuticle
- secretes anti-enzymes that prevent its digestion by host enzymes
- scolex has suckers and hooks for attachment to gut wall
- long, thin body proves large surface-area-to-volume ratio for absorption
what is an example of an ectoparasite? + info
- headlouse (Pediculus humanus capitis)
- it lives on the head where it clings to hairs using strong claws
- eggs are laid and glued to the base of hairs
- when empty they are white, these are called nits
- both adult and larval stages of headlice feed on blood
- head lice are obligate parasites and can only live in human hair
- they have no vectors or secondary hosts and transmission is by direct head-to-head contact when adults, larvae or eggs can be transferred from one host to another
can plants also be parasitic?
+ info
yes
- some such as dodder, have no leaves or roots
- dodder has many suckers which penetrate the xylem (to obtain water and minerals) and the phloem (to obtain sugars and amino acids)
- dodder cannot carry out photosynthesis so is called an obligate parasite: it has to live on a host plant to survive
- mistletoe is semi-parasitic
- its roots penetrate the xylem and phloem of the host plant, but it also has leaves which can carry out photosynthesis
what does holozoic nutrition involve?
- the ingestion and then digestion of a food source
- this means that an organism does not have to remain attached to its food source in order to digest the food, it can ingest its food and then digest the food elsewhere
- the products of digestion are the absorbed and assimilated and waste is egested
what is an example of a single-celled holozoic organism?
+ info
- amoeba
- amoeba senses food
- pseudopodia surround the food
- the food is enclosed in a food vacuole (food + water)
- enzymes from the lysosomes are secreted into the food vacuole
- food is digested and soluble materials are absorbed and assimilated (used up)
- undigested waste is expelled (egestion)
EXAMPLE OF INTRACELLULAR DIGESTION - food particles are ingested through endocytosis/phagocytosis and undigested food/waste products are expelled through exocytosis
multi-cellular organisms show increasing levels of organisation that enable them to digest a wider range of foods and to digest them more efficiently
- they have digestive systems that carry out extracellular digestion, but still within the organisms
- the products of digestion are then absorbed, and undigested food egested
- however, they still have to ingest and then digest their food sources
what is the digestion like in the multi-cellular organism: hydra?
- hydrolytic enzymes secreted into the enteron by the endodermis
- extracellular digestion partially digests food molecules
- partially digested food transported, via phagocytosis, into endodermal cells where intracellular digestion takes place
- undigested material egested from the enteron via the single opening
what is the digestion like in the multi-cellular organism: flatworms?
- flatworms are larger and have a more complex level of organisation that Hydra, but still have a single gut cavity for digestion of food
- the gastrovascular cavity is highly branched. as a result, food can be digested, and the products of digestion can be absorbed throughout the organism
- thereofre, there is no need for a designated transport system to deliver raw materials to the tissues
(- gut = simple pouch in which the food is digested and the products absorbed into the body tissue
- pharynx (throat) = is everted to suck up food that the animal crawls over
- food and waste enter and exit through the same opening)
more complex animals have developed a tube gut which has an opening for ingestion and a separate opening for egestion
this type of gut increases the efficiency of digestion and also enables an organism to eat and digest a wider range of foods
what ate examples of how different regions of the gut is adapted for different functions:
- mechanical digestion by teeth, muscular action
- chemical digestion by acids
- chemical digestion by enzymes with different optimum pH
what does the human gut consist of?
- buccal cavity
- epiglottis
- oesophagus
- stomach
- liver
- gall bladder
- small intestine
- colon
- pancreas
- appendix
- rectum
what happens in the buccal cavity in the human digestive system?
- in the buccal cavity/mouth, a mixture of mechanical and chemical digestion takes place:
- lips, tongue and teeth work together to:
• capture and receive food
• move food about the mouth
• cut, grind and chew food into smaller pieces
• mix the food with saliva to lubricate food
• forms food into a bolus to make swallowing easier - salivary glands secrete about 1500cm^3 of saliva every day
• saliva has a slightly acidic pH
• it contains the enzyme salivary amylase
STARCH —> MALTOSE
what happens in the oesophagus in the human digestive system?
- the oesophagus is a straight narrow tube with a muscular wall which carries food to the stomach by the process of peristalsis
- this is due to waves of contraction of muscles in the gut wall which pushes the food forwards through the whole gut
when you start to swallow, the ____ closes to prevent food from entering the trachea and lungs
epiglottis
what happens in the stomach in the human digestive system?
- the stomach also carries out chemical and mechanical digestion
• chemical: through the action of enzymes and hydrochloric acid
• mechanical : through the action of the muscles in the stomach that contract and relax to mix food with gastric juice and to further breakdown large particles of food into smaller particles with a larger surface area for chemical action
what is the end result of digestion in the stomach?
- a semi-liquid called chyme
the stomach wall contains a large number of gastric glands/pits which produce a mixture of chemicals called gastric juice.
these chemicals are produced by what cells?
- zymogenic/chief cells - secrete pepsinogen (precursor of pepsin) - digestion of protein into polypeptides; digestion of milk protein
- oxyntic cells - secrete hydrochloric acid - provides optimum pH for enzymes; denatures proteins and softens connective tissue in food; activates pepsin
- goblet/neck cell - secretes mucus - forms a barrier between the stomach lining and the gastric juice; protects the stomach wall and glands from self-digestion by pepsin and hydrochloric acid
what is the small intestine comprised of?
- duodenum
- ileum
- (sometimes see reference to the jejunum which is the part of the duodenum between the duodenum and the ileum - but dont need to know)
what is the duodenum
- the first section of the small intestine
- where proteins and lipids are hydrolysed
what happens in the ileum in the human digestive system?
- the second section of the small intestine that serves as the main site of absorption of the products of digestion
- nearly 5cm long
- where digestion is completed and is the main site of absorption of the products of digestion
- bc of its length, food takes a relatively long time to pass through ileum, thus increasing the time available for digestion and absorption
- the villi also increase the s.a greatly
- and have a rich blood supply to remove the products of digstion
- most of the water in our food is absorbed in the ileum
what happens in the large intestine in the human digestive system?
- the ileum opens into the first part of the large intestine called the caecum
- this has no role in the human digestive system
- but in some animals, this is the site of cellulose digestion
- the appendix is a blind-ended sac which opens from the caecum
- the undigested food and remaining water and minerals first pass into the colon
what happens in the colon in the human digestive system?
- the main part of the large intestine
- where the rest of the water and mineral salts are absorbed
- vitamins produced by microorganisms in the colon are also absorbed into the blood
- this leaves a semi-solid mass of undigested food, dead intestinal cells and bacteria (about 50% of the total mass)
- this forms the faeces
what happens in the rectum in the human digestive system?
- last part of the large intestine
- muscular tube that temporarily stores the faeces before they are eliminated from the body
what happens in the anus in the human digestive system?
- made from sphincter muscles that control when defaecation occurs
what happens in the (accessory organ) liver in the human digestive system?
- produces bile by breaking down haemoglobin
- bile is stored in gall bladder and secreted into the duodenum through the bile duct
- the liver receives nearly all the products of digestion from the small intestine, carried there by the hepatic portal vein
- liver has many functions, including:
• excess glucose is stored as glycogen
• amino groups are removed from amino acids (de-amination) and converted into urea
• manu vitamins are also stored in the liver
what happens in the (accessory organ) pancreas in the human digestive system?
- has 2 main secretory functions:
• ENDOCRINE : it secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon for control of blood glucose levels. blood carries secretions to site of action
• EXOCRINE : it secretes pancreatic juice, a mixture of: enzymes, enzyme precursors and sodium hydrogen carbonate - these secretions are carried by the pancreatic duct to their site of action in the duodenum
what is the pancreas’ 2 main secretory functions?
- endocrine
- exocrine
how are the duodenum and ileum adapted to increasing the efficiency of digestion and absorption by?
- having folds in the wall to increase surface area
- the inner surface is further folded to form millions of structures called villi
- the surface of the epithelial cells covering the villi is further folded to form many microvilli
how is each villus further adapted to increase the efficiency of digestion and absorption?
- rich capillary network to absorb and remove products of digestion and maintain a concentration gradient
- lacteals to absorb the products of fat digestion and maintain a concentration gradient
- they are thin to reduce diffusion distance
- microvilli increase surface area
- epithelial cells contain large numbers of mitochondria to provide the ATP for active transport
name the 2 types of digestion
- mechanical
- chemical
what is mechanical digestion
- type of digestion that involves physically breaking down food material into smaller pieces
- increases total surface area for chemical digestion
- the teeth and muscle contractions break large pieces of food into smaller pieces
what is chemical digestion?
- a type of digestion that involves breaking down large, insoluble molecules into smaller, soluble molecules using enzymes
- involves many different enzymes which carry out specific functions to digest a wide range of different biochemicals
- each enzyme has its own temperature (around the body temperature of the organisms) and pH
in mammals, different regions of the gut have a different pH, providing different conditions for enzymes
as enzymes pass from one region of the gut to another, they are deactivated
(- the time spent in different parts of the gut can reflect the diet of an animal)
- due to the pH being differebt in different parts of the gut, the enzymes present will have different pH optima, and even if they are digesting the same food, can work on bonds between different amino acids or monosaccharides
what is the main polysaccharide found in the human diet that we can digest?
starch
where does digestion of starch occur?
- mouth
- duodenum
- through action of salivary and pancreatic amylase
STARCH —amylase—> MALTOSE
where does the digestion of maltose and other disaccharides e.g sucrose and lactose, into monosaccharides takes place?
- on the surface of the epithelial cells covering the villi
- the enzyme is embedded in the cell membranes, and the monosaccharides are then absorbed
what does the digestion of protein involve?
- breaking long polypeptide chains into amino acids and dipeptides that can be absorbed into the blood
some protease enzymes are secreted as inactive precursors to prevent autolysis (self-digestion)
where is protein digested in the digestive system?
- begins in stomach
- duodenum
- ileum
digestion of protein in the stomach:
- pepsinogen is also secreted in the stomacch
- it is activated by hydrochloric acid to form the endopeptidase enzyme, pepsin (optimal pH ~2.0)
- endopeptidase enzymes hydrolyse peptide bonds between amino acids in the middle of a polypeptide chain (non-termial peptide bonds)
PROTEIN —> POLYPEPTIDES + PEPTIDES
what do endopeptidase enzymes hydrolyse?
peptide bonds between amino acids in the middle of a polypeptide chain (non-terminal peptide bonds)