Respiratory Substrates

Question 1

What are respiratory substrates

Answer 1

Any organic molecule broken down to release energy for the synthesis of ATP

Question 2

Process of how lipids used in respiration

Answer 2

-hydrolysed into FAs and glycerol by lipase
-glycerol converted to pyruvate then undergoes oxidative decarboxylation producing an acetyl group which binds with coenzyme A= acetyl coenzyme A
-produces 2x as much energy as carbohydrates

Question 3

How are proteins used in respiration

Answer 3

Hydrolysed into AAs then deaminated (removal of amine group) before they can enter respiratory pathway via pyruvate (requires ATP so net production of ATP from protein is reduced)

Question 4

What is respiratory quotient (RQ)

Answer 4

CO2 produced/ O2 consumed

Question 5

What does respiratory quotient greater than one indicate

Answer 5

Anaerobic respiration is occurring as more carbon dioxide is being produced than oxygen being consumed

Question 6

What is RQ for lipids

Answer 6

Have greater proportion of C-H bonds so require more oxygen to break them down so 0.7

Question 7

What is RQ for proteins

Answer 7

0.8-0.9 so higher than lipids

Question 8

What is typical RQ value for carbohydrates

Answer 8

1.0 eg glucose uses 6 molecules of oxygen and produces 6 molecules of carbon dioxide