Cellular Energetics

Enzyme Catalysts

Proteins that speed up metabolic reactions by lowering energy barriers.

Active Sites

Regions on enzymes that interact with substrates for chemical reactions to occur.

Activation Energy

Initial energy required to start a reaction.

Induced Fit Model

Describes how enzymes change shape slightly to accommodate substrates in the active site.

Competitive Inhibitors

Molecules that bind to the active site of enzymes, competing with substrates.

Non-competitive Inhibitors

Molecules that bind to allosteric sites on enzymes, altering their shape.

Allosteric Regulation

Binding of a regulatory molecule at one site affecting the enzyme's function at another site.

Exergonic Reactions

Release energy, spontaneous, and have a negative ∆G.

Endergonic Reactions

Absorb energy, non-spontaneous, and have a positive ∆G.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and transfers energy in cells.

Redox Reactions

Involve the gaining or loss of electrons, essential for cell respiration.

Photosynthesis

Process converting light energy into chemical energy in plants.

Light-dependent Reactions

Convert light energy into chemical energy, producing ATP and NADPH.

Calvin Cycle

Light-independent reactions that produce sugars using ATP and NADPH from the light-dependent reactions.

Photorespiration

Wasteful process where rubisco fixes oxygen instead of CO2 in plants.

Fermentation

Anaerobic catabolic process involving glycolysis and the production of organic molecules like alcohol or lactic acid as byproducts.

Anaerobic Respiration

Fermentation:Anaerobic process comprising glycolysis and alcohol or lactic acid fermentation to regenerate NADP+.

Obligate anaerobes

Organisms unable to survive in oxygen-rich environments, relying on fermentation for energy production.

Facultative anaerobes

Organisms capable of surviving with or without oxygen, utilizing fermentation when needed.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Process converting pyruvate to lactic acid, regenerating NADP+ in the absence of oxygen.

Alcohol Fermentation

Conversion of pyruvate to ethyl alcohol and CO2 in the absence of oxygen, restoring NADP+ to NADP.

Aerobic Respiration

Cellular process involving glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation to produce ATP in the presence of oxygen.

Krebs Cycle

Series of reactions in mitochondria producing NADH, FADH2, and ATP from acetyl CoA.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

Process of ATP production through the oxidation of NADH and FADH2 in the electron transport chain.

Natural Selection

Mechanism where variations, reproduction, competition, and fitness lead to the evolution of organisms with advantageous traits.