Unit 3 Vocab-AP Bio

Metabolism

The totality of an organism’s processes. (How efficiently you complete reactions).

Enzymes

Biological catalysts made of protein.

Catabolic Reaction

Pathways that break down complex molecules into smaller ones, releasing energy.

Anabolic reaction

Pathways that consume energy, building complex molecules from smaller ones.

Chemical Reaction

Reactions are the source of energy for living systems. Based on free energy changes.

Exergonic

Pathways that break down complex molecules into smaller ones, releasing energy/respiration.

Endegonic

Pathways that consume energy, building complex molecules from smaller ones.

ATP

Adenosine Triphosphate

Adenine: nitrogenous base

Ribose: pentose sugar

3 phosphate groups

Works by energizing other molecules by transferring phosphate groups.

Active Sites

The area of an enzyme that binds to the substrate. Designed to fit.

Substrate

The material an enzyme works on.

Lock and Key

Lock: active site Key: substrate

Provides an environment for the specific reaction.

Induced fit

Substrate “almost” fits into the active site, causing a strain on bonds among the reaction.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Competitive: Mimic the substrate and bind to the active site.

Non-competitive: Bind to some other part of the enzyme and change active site structure.

Allosteric Reaction

The control of an enzyme complex by the binding of a regulatory molecule. May stimulate or inhibit enzyme complex.

Positive/Negative Feedback Loops

Mechanisms to maintain homeostasis. Positive feedback loop ex: Childbirth. Negative feedback loops happen in your body constantly ex: sweating.

Glycolysis

The universal step in all respiration types in all organisms.

Kreb’s Cycle

The sequence of reactions in which most living cells generate energy during the process of aerobic respiration. Takes place in the mitochondria and produces carbon dioxide and water as waste products and produces some ATP.

ETC

A collection of proteins that are structurally linked units. Uses sets of cytochromes, Fe containing proteins, to pass electrons. It converts the energy from the H on NADH and FADH2 into ATP. Located on the mitochondrial cristae. Requires: NADH + FADH2, ADP, and O2. Products: NAD + FAD, ATP, and H2O.

Chemiosmosis

The process of moving ions to the other side of a biological membrane. This process can help drive ATP synthesis.

Respiration

The process of releasing energy from food.

Oxidation/Reduction

Oxidation: Loss of electrons, loss of hydrogens from carbons, and loss of energy. Reduction: Gain of electrons, gain of hydrogens to carbons, and gain of electrons.

Phosphorylation

Adding a phosphate group to a molecule, the phosphate group adds energy to the molecule.

Substrate Level Phosphorylation: The phosphate group is transferred from a substrate to ADP. ATP is produced in Krebs cycle and glycolysis.

NAD(H) and FAD(H)

Molecules that transport or shuttle electrons within the cell to the ETC.

ATP Synthase

Enzyme that uses the flow or H+ to make ATP.

Alcoholic Fermentation

Done by yeast, uses only glycolysis, does not require O2, and produces ATP when O2 is not available.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Uses only glycolysis, does not require O2, produces ATP when O2 is not available, done by human muscles under O2 debt, and lactic acid is a toxin: soreness and stiffness in muscles.

What is fermentation?

A way of using up NADH so glycolysis can still run, and provides ATP to a cell even when O2 is absent.

Anaerobic/Aerobic Respiration

Aerobic: Respiration with O2: all three respiration steps. Anaerobic: Respiration without O2: Glycolysis only. Strict anaerobes can only do respiration one way and facultative anaerobes can switch respiration types depending on O2 availability. Ex) yeast.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use light energy to make food. Plants use light energy to rearrange H2O and CO2 into glucose.