Biological Science: Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cellular respiration and fermentation as presented in the lecture.

What is cellular respiration?

Any set of reactions that produces ATP.

What are the four steps of cellular respiration?

1. Glycolysis, 2. Pyruvate processing, 3. Citric acid cycle, 4. Electron transport and chemiosmosis.

What happens during glycolysis?

Glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate.

What is pyruvate processing?

The second step in glucose oxidation, catalyzed by pyruvate dehydrogenase in the mitochondrial matrix.

What is produced during pyruvate processing?

Acetyl CoA and NADH, with CO2 being released.

What occurs in the citric acid cycle?

Acetyl CoA is oxidized to CO2, producing NADH and FADH2.

Where do the reactions of glycolysis take place?

In the cytosol.

What is the end product of glycolysis?

Two molecules of pyruvate.

What is the net gain of ATP during glycolysis?

2 ATP molecules.

How does oxidative phosphorylation relate to energy production?

It maximizes ATP yield per glucose molecule.

What is fermentation?

A metabolic pathway that regenerates NAD+ from NADH in the absence of oxygen.

What are the products of lactic acid fermentation?

Lactate and NAD+.

What happens during alcohol fermentation?

Pyruvate is converted to acetaldehyde, which accepts electrons from NADH to form ethanol and NAD+.

What components make up ATP synthase?

An ATPase ‘knob’ (F1 unit) and a membrane-bound proton-transporting base (F0 unit).

What drives the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP in ATP synthase?

The spinning of the rotor by protons flowing through the F0 unit.

What is the role of NADH in cellular respiration?

NADH serves as an electron carrier that transfers electrons to the electron transport chain.

What is the importance of oxygen in cellular respiration?

Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, allowing for the production of ATP.

What are the two types of fermentation?

Lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation.

How many molecules of ATP can be produced from one molecule of glucose during cellular respiration?

Up to 38 ATP molecules can be produced from one molecule of glucose under ideal conditions.

What occurs during the electron transport chain?

Electrons are transferred through a series of proteins, creating a proton gradient used to produce ATP.

How does anaerobic respiration differ from aerobic respiration?

Anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen and produces less ATP compared to aerobic respiration, which uses oxygen.