Bioenergetics, Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation Flashcards
What is the value of the gas constant (R)?
in cal K–1 mol–1
1.987
What is the equation for calculating the Gibbs free energy change (∆G) from an equilibrium constant?
∆G = ∆Gº + RTln([products]/[substrates])
If the reaction is at equilibrium, ∆G = 0
∴ ∆Gº = –RTln([products]/[substrates])
Under which conditions may a reaction with ∆Gº > 0 proceed in the forward direction?
If [substrates] is much larger than [products]
In metabolism, what are stage I reactions?
Degradation of large molecules into small monomers
- E.g. proteins to amino acids, fats to fatty acids/glycerol, polysaccharides to monosaccharides
- Enzymes involved: amylase, lipases, proteases
In metabolism, what are stage II reactions?
Degradation of monomers to energetically useful products (most acetyl CoA), often accompanied by a small release of ATP
In metabolism, what are stage III reactions?
Production of large amounts of ATP from acetyl CoA by the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation
What is the standard free energy change (∆Gº) for the hydrolysis of ATP?
in kcal mol–1
–7.3
How are energy barriers for endergonic reactions overcome?
- Reaction coupling: coupling an endergonic reaction to a favorable, exergonic one (e.g. ATP hydrolysis)
- Common intermediates: for A ⇌ B, if B is consumed by another reaction and kept at low concentration, the equilibrium will shift in favor of the production of B
- Active intermediates: phosphorylation of a substrate using UDP, GTP, or creatine phosphate may make it more reactive
How is creatine phosphate (CP) synthesized in the cell?
ATP + creatine → ADP + CP (∆Gº = +2.5 kcal mol–1)
- If the energy charge of the cell is low, eqm shifts in favor of ATP production
- If the energy charge of the cell is high, eqm shifts in favor of CP production
How can ∆Gº be calculated from a redox potential?
∆Gº = –nFEº
What is the value of Faraday’s constant (F)?
kcal equivalent
23.060
What is the Nernst equation?
E = Eº + 2.303(RT/nF)∙log([ox]/[red])
Pyruvate is an important metabolite and the end-product of glycolysis. What are the metabolic fates of pyruvate?
- Reduction to lactate (lactate dehydrogenase)
- Decarboxylation to acetate (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex)
- Synthesis of fatty acids (via acetyl CoA)
- Synthesis of ketone bodies (via acetyl CoA)
- Carboxylation to oxaloacetate (pyruvate carboxylase)
- Transamination reactions to form alanine
What are the components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
- E1: pyruvate decarboxylase/dehydrogenase
- E2: dihydrolipoyl transacetylase
- E3: dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase
What are the coenzymes in the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA?
- E1: thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)
- E2: CoA-SH, lipoic acid
- E3: NAD+, FAD
Is the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA reversible or irreversible?
Irreversible
What is the overall reaction of the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA?
pyruvate + NAD+ + CoA-SH → acetyl CoA + NADH + H+ + CO2
What is the function of E1 in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
Decarboxylates pyruvate and binds the product to TPP, the coenzyme
What is the function of E2 in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
- Oxidizes the product of E1 (liberating it from TPP) to acetyl by transferring it to disulfide lipoic acid, which is reduced
- Acetyl is transferred to CoA. Reduced lipoic acid is released
What is the function of E3 in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
- Reduced lipoic acid is re-oxidized by FAD
- FAD is regenerated by reducing NAD+
How is the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex allosterically regulated?
Inhibited by the end products, NADH and acetyl CoA
How is the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex covalently regulated?
- E1 is phosphorylated by a kinase—INACTIVE
- E1 is dephosphorylated by a phosphatase—ACTIVE
What are the regulators of the kinase of pyruvate dehydrogenase E1?
Activators
- NADH
- ATP (high energy charge)
- Acetyl CoA
Inhibitors
- CoA-SH
- ADP/AMP (low energy charge)
- NAD+
- Pyruvate
What are the regulators of the phosphatse of pyruvate dehydrogenase E1?
Activators
- Mg2+
- Ca2+
- Insulin, in adipocytes
- Catecholamines (Epi, NE), in cardiac cells
Where are the enzymes of the Krebs cycle located?
All in the mitochondrial matrix, except succinate dehydrogenase, which is embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane
How many steps are there in the Krebs cycle (excluding the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA)?
8
In what form does NAD+ accept electrons?
2 hydride (H–) ions
In what form does FAD accept electrons?
2 hydrogen atoms (H), one at a time
What is the net change in number of carbons in the Krebs cycle?
0
For each turn of the cycle, 2C atoms are taken up from acetyl CoA, and 2 are lost as CO2—but these are not the same 2 carbons
What are the net products of 1 turn of the Krebs cycle (i.e. per 1 molecule of acetyl CoA)?
3NADH + 3H+ + FADH2 + 2CO2 + GTP
(In some tissues, GTP may be converted to ATP)
What type of cycle is the Krebs cycle?
Amphibolic
- It is catabolic as it is involved in the breakdown of many molecules, e.g. monosaccharides, fatty acids
- It is anabolic as its intermediates are involved in the biosynthesis of many molecules, e.g. α-ketoglutarate is transaminated with Ala to produce Glu
What is the most exergonic step of the Krebs cycle?
Step 1 (∆G° = –9 kcal mol–1)
What is the most endergonic step of the Krebs cycle?
Step 8 (∆G° = +7.1 kcal mol–1)
In which steps of the Krebs cycle is NADH produced?
Steps 3, 4, and 8
In which steps of the Krebs cycle is CO2 produced?
Steps 3 and 4
In which step of the Krebs cycle is GTP produced?
Step 5
What is step 1 of the Krebs cycle?
oxaloacetate + acetyl CoA → citrate + CoA-SH
Catalyzed by citrate synthase
What is step 2 of the Krebs cycle?
citrate → isocitrase
(by dehydration to aconitate and rehydration; OH moves from C3 to C2)
Catalyzed by aconitase
How is citrate isomerized to isocitrate?
Aconitase dehydrates and rehydrates citrate, moving the hydroxyl from C3 to C2
What is step 3 of the Krebs cycle?
isocitrate → α-ketoglutarate + CO2 + NADH
Catalyzed by isocitrate dehydrogenase
What is the first step of the Krebs cycle in which CO2 is released?
Step 3
What is the first step of the Krebs cycle in which NADH is produced?
Step 3
What is step 4 of the Krebs cycle?
α-ketoglutarate → succinyl CoA + CO2 + NADH
Catalyzed by α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex
What is step 5 of the Krebs cycle?
succinyl CoA → succinate + GTP + CoA-SH
Catalyzed by succinate thiokinase
What is the enzyme of the Krebs cycle that resembles the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex?
α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex
The α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex resembles the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. What are the component enzymes of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex?
- E1: α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase/decarboxylase
- E2: dihydrolipoyl transsuccinylase
- E3: dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase
What is step 6 of the Krebs cycle?
succinate → fumarate + FADH2
Catalyzed by succinate dehydrogenase