Cellular Metabolism Flashcards
What are the roles of enzymes in cellular metabolism?
controls each of the interrelated reactions of metabolism
what is anabolism?
the buildup of larger molecules from smaller ones; requires energy
what is catabolism?
the breakdown of larger molecules into smaller ones, releases energy
what is dehydration synthesis?
An anabolic process where cells join and water molecules are produced as a result; for example, many simple sugar molecules into a chain to form larger molecules of glycogen, a carbohydrate; as adjacent monosaccharide units join, a hydroxyl group from one monosaccharide molecule and a hydrogen molecule from another are removed. The -OH and -H molecules react to produce a water molecule.
What is hydrolysis?
a catabolic process which decomposes carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and splits a water molecule in the process.
What are the products of catabolism during digestion of carbs, protein, and fats?
Carbs into monosaccharides, fats into glycerol and fatty acids, and proteins into amino acids, and nucleic acids into nucleotides
what is an enzyme?
a complex molecules, usually a protein, that promote chemical reactions within cells by lowering the amount of energy, called activation energy, required to start these reactions
How does an enzyme recognize its substrate?
the ability to identify its substrate depends on the shape, or conformation, of the enzyme molecule; each enzyme’s polypeptide chain twists and coils into a unique three-dimensional form that fits the specific shape of its substrate
what factors affect the speed of an enzyme-controlled reaction
depends partly on the number of enzyme and substrate molecules in the cell; the efficiency of different kinds of enzymes also varies greatly; some enzymes can process only a few substrate molecules per second while others can catalyze thousands
What factors can denature enzymes?
heat, chemicals, radiation, electricity, or fluids with extreme pH values
What is energy?
The capacity to change or move matter; the ability to do work
what are common forms of energy?
light, heat, sound, electrical energy, mechanical energy, and chemical energy, which most metabolic processes use
