Lecture 6 - Metabolism Flashcards
what is the definition of metabolism?
the sum total of all chemical reactions in a cell
what is the importance of metabolism?
metabolism is important because it helps with the identification of unknowns. this is because each bacterium has a unique metabolic signature (like a fingerprint) that can be used to identify it.
what is another reason for the importance of metabolism?
we can use the knowledge of unique metabolic processes that we can:
- Exploit commercially (example: oil degradation, making fermented products like cheese, and biofuel like ethanol.
- Use metabolism as antimicrobial “targets” to kill bad microbes.
what are the two categories of metabolism?
-Catabolism
-Anabolism
what is catabolism/catabolic pathways?
Catabolic pathways:
-Break down large molecules into small ones.
-Releases energy.
Example: catabolism of glucose
(hint: catabolism = cut)
what is anabolism/anabolic pathways?
Anabolic pathways:
-Build larger molecules from small ones.
-Requires energy.
Example: photosynthesis (building of glucose)
what links the two processes of catabolism and anabolism?
Energy and precursor metabolites (small molecules)
-(Catabolic processes harvest the energy that is released during the breakdown of molecules and uses it to make ATP. Catabolic pathways also produce precursor metabolites used in biosynthesis (which is anabolism)).
-(Anabolic processes (biosynthesis) synthesize and assemble subunits of macromolecules that make up the cell structures. Anabolic pathways also use the ATP and precursor metabolites produced in catabolism).
we store energy released from catabolic reactions and store it as what?
ATP
what is the function of ATP?
it is the energy currency of the cell
what is the potential energy of ATP?
it has high potential energy
why do we use ATP/why is it important?
because it:
-is an instantaneous source of energy.
-it is flexible (you can use less/more of it).
-is it rechargeable.
what is the structure of ATP?
adenosine triphosphate with 3 phosphates.
(adenine, ribose (sugar), and phosphate groups)
what does ATP become? what is it converted to?
ADP
adenosine diphosphate.
(adenine, ribose (sugar), and phosphate groups)
when energy is inputted into ATP, what does it become? when energy is taken out?
When energy is put in, it becomes ATP.
When energy is taken out of ATP, it becomes ADP + Pi. (This cycle goes on)
(Energy is released as a phosphate group and is ejected from ATP)
metabolic pathway:
A series of chemical reactions are catalyzed by _____ that convert substrate(s) into product(s)?
Enzymes
what are enzymes?
they are the macromolecules (proteins) to help start a reaction
what are in between the substrate and end products in a metabolic pathway?
intermediates
what is the function of enzymes? What is the role in metabolism?
they help catalyze (initiate and accelerate) chemical reactions.
Catabolism of glucose into smaller molecules like carbon dioxide and water releases
energy and electrons.
a. How is the energy stored in the cell?
b. what happens to the electrons?
a. How is the energy stored in the cell? The energy is stored in the cell as ATP.
b. What happens to the electrons? The electrons are first dumped onto empty dump trucks (NAD+ and FAD) to form loaded dump trucks (NADH and FADH2). Ultimately NADH and FADH2 dump electrons onto the terminal electron acceptors.
what is the structure of enzymes? what type of macromolecule are they?
protein
Enzymes bind to the reactant or ____ in a pocket called the ____ _____.
Substrate; active site
Enzymes catalyze a reaction to form a product that is then ejected from where?
from the active site
do enzymes change?
no they remain UNCHANGED at the end of the reaction
what is the requirement for enzymes to be attached to a substrate?
they just have to be really specific for the substrate
what are factors that affect enzyme activity?
temperature, pH, concentration, salt, regulators (activators and inhibitors), etc.
chemical reactions need an input of energy called _____ _____ to break the bonds between the atoms of the reactants?
activation energy
how do enzymes contribute to the activation energy?
enzymes lower the activation energy of reactions
what is the catabolism of glucose?
it is the breakdown of glucose that is the universal metabolic pathway
what is the purpose of the catabolism of glucose?
to get energy
in the catabolism of glucose, is it energy rich? what is the part that is energy rich?
yes it is, glucose is an energy rich energy source.
what are two ways that the catabolism of glucose breaks glucose down into simpler molecules?
- Respiration
- Fermentation
both respiration and fermentation involve what coenzymes that carry what?
-They both involve coenzymes NAD+ or FAD which carry electrons (e-) and protons (H+) as NADH and FADH2
both respiration and fermentation have what acceptor?
terminal electron acceptor
both respiration and fermentation create what sort of energy?
ATP
do respiration and fermentation create end-products?
yes
what are the three stages of respiration?
- Glycolysis
- Transition steps and Krebs cycle
- Electron transport chain
why is glycolysis called “sugar splitting”?
because it starts with 1 glucose that has 6 carbons (in the cytoplasm) and then produces 2 pyruvates that are 3 carbons each.
what is the net ATP and NADH in glycolysis?
2 ATP and 2 NADH
is oxygen required for glycolysis?
no
why do we need to make NADH during glycolysis?
Because we need to carry high-energy electrons released from the breakdown of glucose.
what do we have to input for glycolysis?
1 glucose, 2 ATP, 2 NAD+
where does glycolysis occur?
in the cytoplasm
what happens within the transition step?
both pyruvates are broken down to create 2 acetyl coa molecules.
when the pyruvates are broken down, what is released PER pyruvate? (transition step)
2 CO2, 2 NADH, 2 Acetyl-CoA
where does the transition step occur?
in the cytoplasm
each pyruvate that comes out of glycolysis becomes what, and which enters what?
each pyruvate that comes out of glycolysis becomes Acetyl CoA, which enters the Krebs cycle.
in total, after 2 turns of the cycle in the transition step, what is produced?
6 CO2
2 ATP
8 NADH
2 FADH2 (from both transition and krebs)
i think its:
4 CO2
2 ATP
6 NADH
2 FADH2
just from krebs
when acetyl coA goes into the Kreb’s cycle, what happens?
2 Acetyl CoA go into the Kreb’s cycle -
4 CO2, 6 NADH, 2 FADH, and 2 ATP are produced. (per both pyruvates/both acetyl coA’s)
what is the step after the Kreb’s cycle?
Electron Transport Chain
what is the electron transport chain a series of?
a series of e- carriers in the plasma membrane
what does the ETC receive?
it receives high energy e-‘s from the 10 NADH and 2 FADH2
what does the ETC pass along?
it passes e-‘s along carriers in the chain
where does the ETC occur?
in the plasma membrane