Cellular Energetics Flashcards
Bioenergetics
The study of how cells carry out the processes of life
Enzymes
Proteins that help kick-start reactions and speed those reactions up
Organic Catalysts
Speed up the rate of a reaction without altering the reaction itself
Exergonic Reaction
A reaction in which the products have less energy than the reactants
Endergonic Reaction
A reaction that requires an input of energy
Activation Energy
The energy barrier in order to start a chemical reaction
Enzyme Specificity
Each enzyme is specific to a substrate and only catalyzes one reaction
Substrates
The targeted molecule in a chemical reaction (the thing the enzyme breaks down or combines together)
Active Site
Site where the substrates bind to the enzyme
Enzyme-Substrate Complex
Temporary binding of the substrate to the enzyme
Induced Fit
The enzyme has to change its shape slightly to accommodate the substrate’s shape
Coenzymes
Organic factors that assist the enzyme in catalyzing the reaction
Cofactors
Inorganic factors that assist the enzyme in catalyzing the reaction
Allosteric Sites
A region of the enzyme other than the active site to which a substance can bind
Allosteric Regulators
Can either inhibit or activate enzymes
Alllosteric Inhibitor
Will bind to the allosteric site and keep the enzyme in its inactive form
Allosteric Activator
Will bind to the allosteric site and keep the enzyme in its active form
Feedback Inhibition
The formation of an end product inhibits an earlier reaction in the sequence
Competitive Inhibition
A substance that has the same shape as the active site and competes with the substrate in order to inactivate the enzyme
Noncompetitive Inhibition
The inhibitor binds with the enzyme at another site and inactivates the enzyme by changing its shape
First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Energy transfer leads to less organization
Entropy
The universes’ tendency towards disorder
Photosynthesis
Involves the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy
Cellular Respiration
Produces ATP via the breakdown of nutrients
Aerobic Respiration
ATP is made in the presence of oxygen
Anaerobic Respiration
ATP is made without oxygen
Stages of Aerobic Respiration
- Glycolysis
- Acetyl CoA Formation
- Krebs Cycle
- Oxidative Phosphorylation
Glycolysis
The splitting of glucose into two pyruvates (Makes 2 ATP)
Pyruvic Acid
Two three-carbon molecules formed by the splitting of glucose
Regions of a Mitochondrion
- Matrix
- Inner Mitochondrial Membrane
- Intermembrane Space
- Outer Membrane
Acetyl Coenzyme A
Two carbon molecule made from pyruvic acid
Krebs Cycle/Citric Acid Cycle (CAC)
Creates the electron carriers (NADH and FADH2) and also 1 ATP per cycle
Oxaloacetate
Four carbon molecule that combines with acetyl coA to form citric acid
pH/Proton Gradient
Created by the pumping of H+ ions into the intermembrane space
ATP Synthase
H+ ions flow back through this channel and create ATP
Oxidative Phosphorylation
The flow of protons through channels to produce ATP by combining ADP and P (Makes 32 ATP)
Fermentation
Pyruvic acid is converted into lactic acid or ethyl alcohol (ethanol)
