Cellular Respiration and Oxidative Phosphorylation Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the cellular respiration lecture transcript covering the citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, chemiosmosis, and oxidative phosphorylation.

Oxaloacetate

The starting and ending compound of the citric acid cycle.

Citric acid cycle

A metabolic cycle that processes one acetyl CoA (derived from one pyruvate) to produce three $NADH$, one $FADH_2$, and one $ATP$.

Cristae

The folds and undulations of the inner mitochondrial membrane that increase surface area without increasing volume, providing space for electron transport chain proteins.

Oxygen

The final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain due to its high electronegativity, pulling electrons through the chain to form water.

Cytochromes

Proteins in the electron transport chain that each contain an iron atom and alternate between reduced and oxidized states as they accept and donate electrons.

ATP synthase

An enzyme embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane that allows hydrogen ions to diffuse down their gradient, using the energy from its shape change to synthesize $ATP$ from $ADP$ and phosphate.

Chemiosmosis

The use of a hydrogen ion gradient across a membrane to drive cellular work, specifically powering the addition of phosphate to $ADP$.

Proton motive force

The capability of a hydrogen ion gradient across a membrane to perform work, such as generating $ATP$.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The process of adding phosphate groups to $ADP$ powered by electron transport and oxygen.