Enzymes and Metabolic Pathways

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to enzymes and metabolic pathways, suitable for review in preparation for an exam.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as catalysts to speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Active site

The region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Denaturation

A process in which the structure of an enzyme is altered, rendering it inactive.

pH Optimum

The specific pH at which an enzyme performs at its highest activity.

Competitive inhibition

A form of enzyme inhibition where a molecule competes with the substrate for binding to the enzyme's active site.

Non-competitive inhibition

A form of enzyme inhibition where an inhibitor binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, altering the enzyme's activity.

Metabolic pathway

A sequence of enzyme-catalyzed reactions occurring within a cell.

Autotrophs

Organisms that can produce their own food, typically through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain energy by consuming organic compounds produced by other organisms.

Exergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that releases energy, typically through the breakdown of molecules.

Endergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that requires energy input to proceed.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

The primary energy carrier in all living organisms.

Energy coupling

The process of using the energy released from an exergonic reaction to drive an endergonic reaction.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy used in photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy.

Calvin Cycle

The series of reactions in photosynthesis that convert carbon dioxide into glucose, using ATP and NADPH.

Glycolysis

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, yielding ATP and NADH.

Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

A series of enzyme-catalyzed chemical reactions that produce electron carriers NADH and FADH2, releasing carbon dioxide.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transfer electrons and produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

Fermentation

The metabolic process that converts sugars to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen.

Alcohol fermentation

A form of fermentation that converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, used by yeast.

Lactic acid fermentation

A form of fermentation that converts pyruvate into lactic acid, occurring in muscle cells during anaerobic respiration.