Redox reactions

Question 1

What are the principles of metabolic pathways?

Answer 1

• Complex transformations occur in a separate series of reactions
• Each reaction is catalyzed by a specific enzyme
• Many metabolic pathways are similar in all organisms
• In eukaryotes, metabolic pathways are compartmentalized in specific organelles
• Key enzymes can be inhibited or activated to alter the rate of the pathway

Question 2

What are the changes in energy during redox reactions?

Answer 2

• Oxidation-Reduction - one substance transfers electrons to another substance. oxidation and reduction always work together
• reduction is gaining of electrons while oxidation is the loss of them

Question 3

Electron acceptors in biological redox reactions

Answer 3

Hydrogens are thought of as electrons

Question 4

Carbon containing molecules

Answer 4

Gains H, loses O, it’s been reduced and is an oxidizing agent
Loses H, gains O, it’s been oxidized and is a reducing agent

Question 5

Oxidizing agent and reducing agent

Answer 5

Oxidizing: NADH + H+ + 1/2 O2 = NADH + H2O
Reducing: NAD+ H+ 2e- = NADH

Question 6

Glycolysis

Answer 6

Takes place in the cytoplasm, converts 2 pyruvates and produces 2 ATP and 2 NADH, a 10 step process

Question 7

10 step glycolysis process

Answer 7

1-5 requires 2 ATP, steps 6-10 harvest ATP, and yields 4 ATP and 2 NADH

Question 8

In the glycolysis process

Answer 8

2 metabolic ways happen: Oxidation-reduction and substrate level phosphorylation. Oxidation-reduction releases energy by trapping glucose oxidation, which restricts ATP and produces NADH. Substrate level phosphorylation releases energy which transfers a phosphate from the substrate to ADP, which then forms ATP