Exam 3 Flashcards
What form is G6P stored as? Why?
Glycogen
Why:
- Because it is a form of glucose that will not cause cell damage/disrupt the osmotic balance because it’s non-osmotic
- It is easily mobilized to be converted back into glucose when energy is needed
Why can’t glucose be stored in high concentrations in the body?
Having a high [glucose] disrupts the osmotic balance of the cell –> causes cell damage and death
Glycogen is not as energy rich as fatty acids because it’s not as reduced. Why then, is fatty acid not used as energy storage instead of glycogen?
Because glycogen allows for controlled release of glucose –> allows blood-glucose levels to be maintained in between meals –> more constant energy levels
Define: CATABOLISM
Set of metabolic pathways that BREAK DOWN down molecules into smaller units to release energy.
Where is glycogen primarily stored in the body? Where else is it stored?
Primarily stored in…
1. Liver 2. Skeletal Muscle
Also stored in…
-Cytoplasm
What is the function of glycogen in the liver and in skeletal muscle?
Function: regulation of glycogen synthesis and degradation for…
Liver: Maintenance of blood-glucose levels
Skeletal Muscle: To fulfill its own energy needs
What are the steps of glycogen degradation?
- The release of glucose 1-phosphate (G1P) from glycogen
- Remodeling of glycogen substrate to allow further breakdown
- Conversion of G1P to G6P (glucose 6-phosphate) for further metabolism
What are the 3 possible outcomes that can result from glycogen degradation?
- Used as starting material (substrate) for glycolysis
- Conversion into free glucose for release into the bloodstream
- Processed by the pentose phosphate pathway to make NADPH and ribose derivatives
Where does the conversion of glycogen into free glucose mainly take place?
Liver
When does glycogen synthesis occur? What does it require?
- Occurs when [glucose] abundant
- Requires UDP-glucose (uridine disphosphate glucose)
What is UDP-glucose?
(uridine disphosphate glucose)
- Activated form of glucose
- Formed by RXN of UTP + G1P
What are the enzymes involved in glycogen degradation?
- Phosphorylase
- “debranching enzyme”
- Transferase
- 1,6-glucosidase
- Hexokinase
What is the function of PHOSPHORYLASE in glycogen degradation?
- Cleaves Glu residues from glycogen by adding orthophosphate (Pi) to make G1P
(i. e. G1P= a Glu residue (unit) that makes up glycogen molecule
What is the function of the “DEBRANCHING ENZYMES” in glycogen degradation?
To catalyze the remodeling of glycogen
Remodel needed: remove the 4 residues of an α-1,6 linkage/branch
Why: phosphorylase cannot work when these residues are present
What are the 2 “DEBRANCHING ENZYMES” used in glycogen degradation?
- Transferase
- 1,6-glucosidase
What is the function of “TRANSFERASE” in glycogen degradation?
Transfer a trisaccharide from the α-1,6 branch to the main chain
What is the function of “1,6-GLUCOSIDASE” in glycogen degradation?
Remove the last residue of the α-1,6 branch as glucose
What is the function of “HEXOKINASE” in glycogen degradation?
Catalyze the phosphorylation of Glu to give G1P.
What is PHOSPHORYLSIS?
Breaking a bond by adding orthophosphate (Pi)
From where on glycogen’s structure does phosphorylase remove the Glu residues from?
From the nonreducing ends of the glycogen molecule (i.e. THE ENDS WITH A FREE OH GROUP ON CARBON 4)
How is the activity of PHOSPHORYLASE regulated in glycogen degradation?
- Allosteric Effectors
- signal energy state of the cell
- Reversible Phosphorylation
- responds to hormones (ex. insulin, glucagon) - Dif. tissues have dif forms of phosphorylase
- respond dif to effects of 1 and 2
Describe the 2 conformations that phosphorylase switches between.
T Conformation (inactive state/phosphorylase b): residue loop is blocking active site (residue loops form the deep crevice where active site is located)
R Conformation (active state/phosphorylase a): active state is not blocked
- Uses phosphorylase kinase to switch conformations
- Active site=glycogen binding site
What are ISOZYMES?
Enzymes that differ in amino acid sequence but catalyze the same rxns
What controls the MUSCLE isozyme of phosphorylase?
-AMP and G6P allosterically control it
How:
-presence of high [ATP] and [G6P]–> T state (inactive)
-presence of high [AMP] –> R state (active)
Why: low [ATP]=need more energy=glucose mobilization
What is ALLOSTERIC CONTROL?
Inhibition/activation of an enzyme via binding of a regulator to a part of the enzyme that’s NOT the active site
How does exercise affect the conformation of the MUSCLE isozyme of phosphorylase?
Triggers hormone release –> triggers phosphorylation of T state –> now in active R state
What controls the LIVER isozyme of phosphorylase?
-allosterically controlled by [glucose]
How:
- high [glucose] –> T state (inactive)
- low [glucose] –> R state (active)
*not affected by [AMP] b/c [AMP] stays fairly constant in liver