Chapter 7 Flashcards
physiology
study of vital life processes of organisms
microbial physiology
- concerns vital life processes of microorganisms
- learn about human cells by studying bacterias nutritional needs, metabolic pathway, and why they live, grow, multiply, or die under certain conditions
- bacteria, fungi, and viruses are used in genetic studies because they produce generation after generation so rapidly
6 major chemical elements of all living protoplasms
- carbon, hydrogen, O2, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur
- these can combine with other elements to make up vital macromolecules like carbs, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
essential nutrients
- materials that organisms are unable to synthesize, but are required for building macromolecules and sustaining life
- have to get these from environment/food
- essential amino acids, essential fatty acids
terms relating to an organisms energy source
- phototroph
- chemotroph
- chemolithotrophs
- chemoorganotrophs
phototrophs
use light as energy source
chemotrophs
use either organic or inorganic chemicals as energy source
chemolithotrophs
use inorganic chemicals as energy source
chemoorganotrophs
use organic chemicals as energy source
terms relating to an organisms carbon source
- autotrophs
- heterotrophs
autotrophs
use CO2 as sole source of carbon
heterotrophs
use organic compounds other than CO2 as carbon source
terms that combine energy and carbon source
- photoautotrophs
- phototheterotrophs
- chemoautotrophs
- chemoheterotrophs
photoautotrophs
use light as energy source and CO2 as carbon source
photoheterotrophs
use light as energy source and organic compounds other than CO2 as carbon source
chemoautotrophs
use chemical as energy source and CO2 as carbon source
chemoheterotrophs
use chemicals as energy source and organic compounds other than CO2 as carbon source
ecology
study of interactions between living organisms and the world around them
ecosystem
- interaction between living organisms and their nonliving environment
- interrelationships among different nutritional types are prime importance to ecosystem function
- ex: phototrophs like algae/plants are the producers of food and O2 for chemoheterotrophs like animals
endoenzymes
- enzymes produced within a cell that remain within the cell to catalyze reactions
- ex: digestive enzymes within phagocytes
exoenzymes
- enzymes produced within a cell and then released outside of the cell to catalyze extracellular reactions
- ex: cellulase and pectinase secreted by saprophytic fungi bread down cellulose and pectin
metabolism
- all chemical reactions that occur in a cell
- the chemical reactions are referred to as metabolic reactions
metabolic enzymes
enzymes that enhance and regulate metabolic reactions
- ex: hydrolases and polymerases
biologic catalysts
- enzymes are biologic catalysts
- proteins that either cause or accelerate a chemical reactions
- enzymes only catalyze one particular chemical reaction
- an enzyme can exert its effect only on one substance
- unique 3 dimensional enzyme shape allows it to fit into substrate like lock and key
- enzyme does not become altered during chemical reaction catalysts but it does not last forever
substrate
the particular substance the enzyme is catalyzing
factors that affect efficiency/effectiveness of enzymes
- each enzyme has optimum ranges of pH, temperature, and concentration (of enzyme or substrate)
- presence of inhibitors can also affect efficiency like heavy metals like lead, zinc, mercury, and arsenic
metabolite
- any molecule that is a nutrient, an intermediary product, or an end product in a metabolic reactions
2 categories of metabolic reactions
- catabolism
- anabolism
catabolism
- all catabolic reactions in a cell
- breaking down larger molecules into smaller molecules
- produces energy