Chemotrophic Energy Metabolism: Aerobic Respiration

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to aerobic respiration and cellular energy metabolism as outlined in the provided lecture notes.

Cellular Respiration

A metabolic process that uses an external electron acceptor to oxidize substrates completely to CO2.

Aerobic Respiration

A type of cellular respiration where the terminal electron acceptor is oxygen.

Anaerobic Respiration

Respiration that utilizes other terminal electron acceptors such as sulfur, protons, and ferric ions in the absence of oxygen.

Mitochondrion

The organelle where most aerobic ATP production occurs in eukaryotic cells.

Glycolysis

The initial step in cellular respiration that breaks down glucose into pyruvate.

Citric Acid Cycle

A metabolic pathway that completely oxidizes acetyl CoA to CO2, yielding NADH and FADH2.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transfer electrons and pump protons to synthesize ATP.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The process of ATP synthesis that utilizes the energy stored in the electrochemical proton gradient.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme that synthesizes ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate, using the energy from proton flow.

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex

A multipart enzyme complex that converts pyruvate into acetyl CoA, releasing CO2 and producing NADH.

Oxaloacetate

A four-carbon molecule that combines with acetyl CoA to form citrate in the citric acid cycle.

Cristae

Infoldings of the inner mitochondrial membrane that increase surface area for ATP production.

Proton Gradient

An electrochemical gradient created by the active transport of hydrogen ions across the membrane during electron transport.

NADH

A coenzyme that carries electrons to the electron transport chain, generated in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.

FADH2

A reduced form of the coenzyme flavin adenine dinucleotide which also delivers electrons to the electron transport chain.