Module 5: Respiration Flashcards
Define respiration
The release of chemical potential energy from organic molecules inside mitochondria.
What does ATP stand for?
Adenosine triphosphate
Name 4 uses of ATP
> Active Transport > Endocytosis > Exocytosis > Synthesis of large molecules (collagen, enzymes, antibodies) > DNA replication > Cell division > Movement > Activation of chemicals
Describe the structure of ATP
- ATP is a phosphorylated nucleotide (similar to the structure of DNA and RNA).
- ATP can’t leave the cell where it is made.
- When 1 phosphate group is removed from each molecule in one mole of ATP, 30.5 kJ of energy is released.
- This is a hydrolysis reaction (requires water), and is catalysed by enzymes called ATPases.
Describe ATP role as an energy currency
• ATP is useful as an energy carrier (currency) because it cycles.
• Respiration provides the energy required for the condensation reaction that converts ADP ‐‐> ATP
• i.e. For each 30.5 kJ mol‐1 of energy that is released by
hydrolysis of ATP, the same energy must also be input from respiration to reform the ATP.
• The energy for condensation reaction comes from the
chemical energy stored in glucose.
Describe the role of a coenzyme in respiration
• Enzymes needed to assist other enzymes in a reduction or oxidation reactions (because they can pick up and lose hydrogen atoms)
• Co‐enzymes used in respiration:
- NAD Nicotinamide
- Adenine Dinucleotide
- CoA Coenzyme A
- FAD Flavine Adenine Dinucleotide
• Co‐enzymes that have been reduced are used in the final stage of respiration (oxidative phosphorylation) which produces a lot of ATP.
What are the 4 stages of respiration?
1) Glycolysis
2) Link reaction
3) Krebs cycle
4) Oxidative phosphorylation
What is glycolysis?
The first stage in respiration in which pyruvate is produced.
Where does glycolysis take place?
Cytoplasm
How many stages are in glycolysis?
There are 3 main stages that involve a sequence of 10 chemical reactions
Describe the 3 main stages of glycolysis
1) Glucose is phosphorylated to hexose bisphosphate.
2) Hexose bisphosphate is split into 2 x triose phosphate.
3) Oxidation of TP to pyruvate.
Describe what happens when glucose is phosphorylated to hexose bisphosphate
- Glucose is a stable compound.
- Two molecules of ATP are hydrolysed ‐ what will this produce?
- Each phosphate group is added to glucose (on 1C and 6C) to form hexose bisphosphate.
- What is it called with only one phosphate group added?
- The energy released from the hydrolysed ATP activates the hexose sugar to prevent it being transported out of the cell.
Describe what happens when hexose bisphosphate is split into triose phosphate
Each molecule of hexose bisphosphate is split into 2x 3C molecules called triose phosphate.
Describe what happens when TP is oxidised to Pyruvate
- Dehydrogenase enzymes (aided by NAD) remove hydrogens from triose phosphate (oxidation, but still an anerarobic process)
- This produces two molecules of pyruvate
- 2x NAD accept the hydrogen atoms and are reduced to NADH
- Two molecules of NAD are reduced for every molecule of glucose
- 4 ATP produced for every 2 triose phosphate molecules ‐ what is the net gain?
Describe the possible fate of the pyruvate molecules at the end of glycolysis
- actively transported into mitochondria for link reaction
(aerobic conditions) - converted into lactate (anaerobic conditions)
- converted into ethanol (anaerobic conditions)