Unit 1.6 Metabolic Pathways Flashcards

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1
Q

What is cell metabolism

A

The product of all the biochemical reactions that take place in a living cell

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2
Q

What are metabolic pathways

A

Integrated & controlled pathways of enzyme-catalysed reactions within a cell

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3
Q

The 2 types of metabolic pathways

A

Catabolic reactions & Anabolic reactions

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4
Q

What do catabolic reactions do

A

Break down large molecules into smaller molecules and release energy

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5
Q

What do anabolic reactions do

A

Build up large molecules from small molecules and requires energy

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6
Q

2 examples of catabolic reactions

A

1- Aerobic respiration
2- Breakdown of starch by amylase: starch —> maltose

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7
Q

2 examples of anabolic reactions

A

1- protein synthesis
2- Synthesis of starch by phosphorylase: glucose-1-phosphate —> starch

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8
Q

What are the 2 types of steps a metabolic pathway could have

A

Reversible & irreversible

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9
Q

What type of pathway can bypass steps

A

Alternative pathways

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10
Q

What happens in reversible reaction

A

The substrate is converted into the product as long as the concentration of the reactant (substrate) is relatively higher than the product

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11
Q

What happens if the concentration of the reactant decreases in a reversible reaction

A

The reaction will proceed in the opposite direction

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12
Q

What do enzymes work to keep in a reversible reaction

A

An equilibrium- to maintain a balance of the starting reactants & products

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13
Q

What happens in the irreversible steps of a metabolic pathway

A

Once the substrate has turned into a product it cannot change back to a substrate

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14
Q

What do alternative routes in metabolic pathways allow

A

Certain steps in a pathway to be bypassed

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15
Q

What is metabolic rate

A

The quantity of energy consumed by an organism per unit of time

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16
Q

What can metabolic rate be measured by

A

Oxygen consumption, CO2 production & energy production in the form of heat

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17
Q

What are metabolic pathways controlled by

A

The presence or absence of particular enzymes
& the regulation of the rate of reaction of key enzymes

18
Q

What are enzymes

A

Biological catalysts that speed up the rate of a reaction but remain unchanged after the reaction has taken place

19
Q

What is activation energy

A

The energy needed to either make or break chemical bonds in the reactant chemicals (enzyme substrates)

20
Q

What are reactant chemicals

A

Enzymes / substrates

21
Q

How does an enzyme speed up a reaction

A

By lowering the activation energy

22
Q

What is an active site

A

A region on the surface of an enzyme where the substrate binds

23
Q

What is enzyme specificity

A

The shape of the active site means only a substrate with a complementary shape can bind to the active site

24
Q

What does it mean if a substrate has a higher affinity for an enzyme

A

The substrate is specific/complementary to the enzyme

25
Q

What is induced fit

A

When the active site on the enzyme changes shape to better fit the substrate after the substrate binds

26
Q

What does induced fit increase the chance of

A

A reaction taking place

27
Q

How does induced fit increase the chance of a reaction

A

By ensuring the active site comes into very close contact with the molecules of the substrate

28
Q

What does induced fit cause to happen after the reaction takes place

A

The subsequent products now have a low affinity for the active site allowing them to leave the active site

29
Q

What happens once enzymes have absorbed sufficient energy

A

Chemical bonds break & the reactants reach an unstable transition state

30
Q

What happens as you increase substrate concentration

A

More enzyme/substrate complexes can form- this speeds up the rate of reaction

31
Q

What happens once the enzyme is no longer in excess

A

The number of complexes is at a maximum, the rate of reaction levels off & remains constant no matter how much more substrate is added

32
Q

How can you increase the rate of reaction once substrate concentration is at its maximum

A

Increase enzyme concentration

33
Q

What are enzyme inhibitors

A

Chemicals that slow down or stop an enzyme-controlled reaction

34
Q

2 types of inhibitors

A

Competitive & Non-competitive

35
Q

What do competitive inhibitors do

A

Bind at the active site, so are competing with the substrate. This prevents substrate from binding

36
Q

Can competitive inhibition be reversed- if so, how?

A

Yes, by increasing substrate concentration

37
Q

What do non-competitive inhibitors do

A

Bind at the enzyme- not at the active site.
This causes the shape of active site to be altered & substrate molecules can no longer bind to the active site

38
Q

Can non-competitive inhibition be reversed

A

No

39
Q

When does feedback inhibition occur

A

When the end product in the metabolic pathway reaches a critical condition. It then inhibits an earlier enzyme, blocking the pathway & preventing further synthesis of the end product

40
Q

What effect will increasing the substrate concentration have on a normal enzyme reaction

A

Increase the reaction

41
Q

What effect will increasing the substrate concentration have on a reaction with a competitive inhibitor present

A

Increase the reaction

42
Q

What effect will increasing the substrate concentration have on a reaction with a non-competitive inhibitor present

A

No effect