Energetics: Heterotroph, Fermentation, and Respiration

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to energetics in biological processes, specifically focusing on heterotrophy, fermentation, and respiration.

Heterotroph

Organisms that obtain energy by consuming organic compounds.

Redox Tower

A visual representation of the reduction potential of different compounds, arranged from best electron donors to best electron acceptors.

Embden-Meyerhof pathway

A metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, yielding energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents.

Entner-Doudoroff pathway

A microbial metabolic pathway that also converts glucose into pyruvate, yielding ATP, NADH, and NADPH.

Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) Cycle

A metabolic pathway central to cellular respiration, producing CO₂, NADH, FADH₂, and GTP.

Amphibolic Pathway

A metabolic pathway that serves both catabolic and anabolic functions.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that converts sugar to acid, gas, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen.

Homolactic Fermenters

Organisms that primarily reduce pyruvate to lactate.

Heterolactic Fermenters

Organisms that produce lactate along with other products during fermentation.

Proton Motive Force (PMF)

The force generated across a membrane that drives protons to synthesize ATP.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A series of protein complexes that transfer electrons and pump protons to create a proton gradient.

Assimilative Nitrate Reduction

A process where nitrate is reduced to ammonia for the synthesis of organic nitrogen.

Dissimilative Nitrate Reduction

A process where nitrate is used as an electron acceptor, producing nitrogen gas as a waste product.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

ATP synthesis that occurs during respiration, utilizing the energy from the electron transport chain and a proton gradient.

Substrate-Level Phosphorylation

ATP production that occurs through direct transfer of a phosphate group.

Butanediol Fermentation

A fermentation pathway that produces butanediol and other byproducts, typically resulting in fewer acid products.

Mix Acid Fermentation

A fermentation pathway yielding a variety of products including ethanol, acetic acid, and others.