BIO 181 – Cellular Respiration

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms related to cellular respiration, fermentation, and metabolic pathways discussed in Lecture 8 of BIO 181.

Glycolysis

The process that breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate, consisting of ten chemical reactions.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

A series of chemical reactions that oxidize acetyl groups into carbon dioxide, producing NADH and FADH2.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A series of redox reactions where electrons are transferred through protein complexes, leading to ATP production.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The production of ATP via an electrochemical gradient formed during the electron transport chain.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that regenerates NAD+ from NADH, allowing glycolysis to continue in the absence of oxygen.

NAD+/NADH

NAD+ is a coenzyme that acts as an electron acceptor; NADH is the reduced form that donates electrons during cellular respiration.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme complex that synthesizes ATP using the energy from protons flowing through its F0 unit.

Substrate-Level Phosphorylation

The direct transfer of a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP during metabolic processes.

Aerobic Respiration

A process where oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.

Anaerobic Respiration

Respiration that occurs without oxygen, using alternative electron acceptors.

Feedback Inhibition

A regulatory mechanism where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved in its synthesis.

Pyruvate Processing

The conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle.

Chemiosmosis

The process by which ATP is produced as protons flow through ATP synthase due to an electrochemical gradient.

High-Energy Molecule

Molecules like ATP and NADH that store high amounts of energy used to drive cellular processes.

Acetyl-CoA

The product of pyruvate processing that enters the citric acid cycle for further oxidation.