Respiration Flashcards
What is respiration?
A process that occurs in living cells to release the energy stored in organic molecules like glucose. The energy released is used to immediately synthesis ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.
How is ATP used to drive other biological process?
It is hydrolysed back to ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi) to release the energy stored in it.
What biological processes are driven by ATP?
Active transport Exocytosis + Endocytosis Protein synthesis DNA replication Cell Division Movement (of flagella/cilia/undulipodia and vesicles across the cytokeleton by motor proteins) Activation of chemicals like glucose
What is metabolism?
Metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions that take place within living cells of an organism
Metabolic reactions can be:
Anabolic or catabolic
Define anabolic reactions?
Anabolic reactions are metabolic reactions where large molecules are synthesised from smaller molecules
Define catabolic reactions?
Catabolic reactions are metabolic reactions where large molecules are hydrolysed into smaller molecules.
Where does the thermal energy needed to maintain a suitable temperature in the body come from?
Some of the energy released in respiration is directly used to provide thermal energy. Hydrolysis of ATP also provides thermal energy.
Suitable temp important to allow enzymes to proceed at optimal rate.
What allows the ions and molecules within cells to move?
They use their kinetic energy.
Structure of ATP?
ATP is a phosphorylated nucleotide.
It consists of adenosine (a nitrogenous base of adenine) bonded to ribose (a 5C sugar), which is bonded to three phosphate groups.
What is the bond in ATP and where is it located?
ATP has a phosphodiester bond connecting the ribose sugar to the first phosphate group.
Draw an ATP molecule.
DRAW IT - PAGE 137
ATP is stable so does not break down (ADP + Pi) in solution in cells, however they are are hydrolysed readily by enzyme catalysis. What enzymes catalyses the breakdown of ATP into ADP and Pi?
ATP synthase
ATP is HYDROLYSED. So what else must be present, in addition to ATP synthase, for it to be broken down in to ADP?
Water must also be present:
ATP + H2O –> ADP + Pi
Can ADP be further hydrolysed to release energy?
- ADP can be further hydrolsed to AMP, which can be further hydrolysed to just adenosine.
- hydrolysis of ATP –> ADP and hydrolysis of ADP –> AMP release same amount of energy, but hydrolysis of AMP –> adenoise releases less energy.
Structure of Mitochondria?
- Length: 2-5µm
- Double membrane organelle: Inner + outer phospholipid membrane, seperated by intermembrane space, make up the envelope
- Outer membrane = smooth
- Inner membrane = folded to form cristae to provide a large surface area for electron carriers in the ETC & for protein channels associated with ATP synthase enzymes to facilitate proton diffusion
- Mitochondrial matrix = enclosed by inner membrane, semi-rigid and gel-like, contains ribosomes, mitochondrial DNA and enzymes for link reaction and krebs cycle.
What is the matrix the site of?
This is the site of the link reaction and krebs cycle.
What does the matrix contain?
- Enzymes invovled in link reaction and Krebs cycle
- The coenzymes NAD + FAD
- Oxaloacetate
- Mitochondrial DNA and ribosomes
What is mitochondrial DNA used for?
Codes for the proteins needed for aerobic respiration. These proteins are then assembled by the ribosomes in the mitochondria.
How are pyruvate molecules brought into the mitochondria?
Pyruvate molecules are brought into the mitochondrial matrix across the inner + outer membrane, via specific pyruvate-H+ symport, a type of transport protein, to enter the link reaction.
How does the inner and outer membrane of the mitochondria differ?
- Lipid composition of inner membrane is different to that of the outer membrane.
- The inner membrane is less pearmeable (in fact its impermeable to H+ ions unlike outer membrane) to small ions like H+ than the outer membrane.
- Folds called cristae in the inner membrane
Why is the inner membrane in close contact with the mitcohondrial matrix?
This is so that reduced NAD and FAD can easily deliver hydrogen to the electron transport chain.
What is glycolysis?
- This is the first stage of respiration
- It occurs in the cell cytoplasm
- Involves the breakdown of glucose to pyruvate.
Stages of glycoysis
1) Glucose (6C) is phosphorylated into 1 hexose bisphosphate (6C) molecule using the 2 inorganic phosphates from the hydrolysis of 2 ATP molecules.
2) The hexose bisphosphate molecule splits up into 2 triose phosphate (3C) molecules.
3) The 2 TP molecules are oxidised into 2 pyruvate (3C) molecules, through dehydrogenation, catlaysed by dehydrogenase enzymes and aided by the coenzyme, NAD. 2NAD molecules accept a hydrogen from each TP to form 2 NADH molecules (reduction). At this stage, 4ADP molecules are phosphorylated into 4ATP molecules.
What is NAD?
NAD is a coenzyme that helps dehydrogenase enzymes carry out oxidation reactions.