Metabolism
The totality of an organism's chemical reactions; an emergent property of life that arises from orderly interactions between molecules
Metabolic Pathway
Begins with specific reactants and ends with specific products; each step is catalyzed by a particular enzyme
Catabolic Pathway
Releases energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler compounds; cellular respiration is an example of this
Anabolic Pathway
Consumes energy in order to construct complex molecules from simpler ones; photosynthesis is an example of this
Bioenergetics
The study of how energy flows through living organisms
Energy
The capacity to cause change; can be converted from one form to another
Kinetic Energy
Energy associated with motion
Heat (Thermal Energy)
Kinetic energy associated with the random movement of atoms or molecules
Potential Energy
Energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure
Chemical Energy
Potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction
Isolated System
A system that is unable to exchange energy or matter with its surroundings
Open System
A system that has the ability to exchange energy and matter with its surroundings
Thermodynamics
The study of energy transformations
First Law of Thermodynamics
Also referred to as the principle of conservation of energy; states that energy can be transferred or transformed, but cannot be created nor destroyed
Second Law of Thermodynamics
States that every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe
Spontaneous Process
A process that can occur without energy input; can happen quickly or slowly; must increase the entropy of the universe
Entropy (S)
The measure of the total amount of disorder caused by a thermodynamic system
Enthalpy (H)
The measure of the total amount of energy present in a thermodynamic system; represented by the equation H = G + TS
Free Energy (G)
The measure of the total amount of energy that is available to do work in a thermodynamic system; represented by the equation G = H - TS
Change in Free Energy (ΔG)
A measure of a thermodynamic system's instability; takes into account the system's "desire" to achieve a more stable state; represented by the equation ΔG = ΔH – TΔS
Positive ΔG
Means that free energy is required by a thermodynamic system
Negative ΔG
Means that free energy is released by a thermodynamic system
Equilibrium
A state of maximum stability that can be achieved in a reaction
Exergonic Reaction
A reaction that proceeds with a net release of free energy and is spontaneous (-ΔG); catabolic pathways are an example of this, as they generate disorder by decreasing complexity
Endergonic Reaction
A reaction that absorbs free energy from its surroundings and is not spontaneous (+ΔG); anabolic pathways are an example of this, as they create order by increasing complexity
Energy Coupling
The use of exergonic processes to drive endergonic processes
ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)
The cell's main source of energy - captures and transfers free energy; composed of ribose, adenine, and three phosphate groups
Cellular Activities
Powered by ATP hydrolysis; includes mechanical work, chemical work, and the cell's transport of other molecules
ATP Hydrolysis
A chemical reaction where a phosphate bond on ATP is broken by water, thereby releasing a lot of energy - ATP is converted to ADP in this process
Phosphorylation
The process by which ATP drives endergonic reactions by transferring a phosphate group to another molecule
Phosphorylated Intermediate
The molecule that receives the phosphate group from ATP in phosphorylation
Catalyst
A chemical agent that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed by the reaction
Enzyme
A catalytic protein; increases the rate of a chemical reaction by decreasing the reaction's activation energy
Activation Energy
The initial energy required to start a chemical reaction; often supplied in the form of thermal energy that the reactants of the chemical reaction can absorb from their surroundings
Transition State
An intermediate state during a chemical reaction that has a higher energy than the reactants or the products; highly reactive and unstable
Substrate
The reactant that an enzyme acts on; the rate of a catalyzed reaction depends on the overall concentration of this
Enzyme-Substrate Complex
Created when an enzyme binds to its substrate
Active Site
Region of an enzyme where the substrate binds; catalyzes the reaction resulting in the production of particular products
Allosteric Site
Region of an enzyme where activators or inhibitors can bind in order to stimulate or hinder enzyme activity
Induced Fit
A continuous change in the conformation and shape of an enzyme in response to substrate binding
Saturation Point
A point at which all of the enzymes are bound to substrates, and no free enzymes exist in a particular chemical reaction; the enzyme is operating at maximum rate in this situation
Maximum Rate
Used to calculate enzyme efficiency
Factors Impacting Enzyme Activity
Can include temperature, pH, the presence of activators or inhibitors, and the overall substrate concentration and enzyme concentration within a particular reaction
Cofactors
The inorganic substances that are needed by certain enzymes in order to carry out catalysis of particular chemical reactions
Prosthetic Groups
Non-amino acid groups bound to enzymes
Inorganic Cofactors
Ions which are permanently bound to enzymes
Coenzymes
Small, carbon-containing molecules; not permanently bound to enzymes; vitamins are example of these
Allosteric Regulation
Can either stimulate or hinder an enzyme's activity in a reaction; occurs when a regulatory molecule binds to an enzyme's allosteric site, thereby affecting the functionality of the enzyme's active site
Active Form of an Enzyme
The binding of an activator to an enzyme's allosteric site stabilizes this form of the enzyme
Inactive Form of an Enzyme
The binding of an inhibitor to an enzyme's allosteric site stabilizes this form of the enzyme
Competitive Inhibitors
Bind to an enzyme's active site, thereby competing with the substrate in a particular reaction
Noncompetitive Inhibitors
Bind to a different part of an enzyme, thereby causing the enzyme to change shape and making the enzyme's active site less effective
Cooperativity
A form of allosteric regulation that can amplify enzyme activity
Feedback Inhibition
A cellular control mechanism in which the final product produced by a particular reaction acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor of the enzyme that created it, thereby shutting down the pathway; keeps a cell from wasting chemical resources by synthesizing more product than it actually needs
Aerobic
Describes respiration or other catabolic process that require oxygen; the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation are examples of this type of process
Anaerobic
Describes respiration or other catabolic process that do not require oxygen; glycolysis and fermentation are examples of this type of process
Fermentation
An anaerobic process that uses glycolysis and the reduction of pyruvate or acetaldehyde in order to generate ATP; produces 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule
Alcohol Fermentation
Converts pyruvate to ethanol; releases carbon dioxide in order to form acetaldehyde, then reduces acetaldehyde in order to make ethanol; this process is used by yeast in brewing, winemaking, and baking
Lactic Acid Fermentation
Reduces pyruvate by using NADH and forms lactate as an end product with no release of carbon dioxide; used by some fungi and bacteria in order to make dairy products and human muscle cells use this process in order to generate ATP when oxygen is scarce
Obligate Anaerobes
Carry out fermentation and anaerobic respiration; cannot survive in the presence of oxygen
Facultative Anaerobes
Can survive by using either fermentation or cellular respiration; yeast and many bacteria are examples of these
Redox/Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
Chemical reactions that transfer electrons between reactants
Oxidation
A process in which an electron is removed from a molecule during a chemical reaction; the molecule's overall positive charge is increased by this process
Reduction
A process in which an electron is added to a molecule during a chemical reaction; the molecule's overall positive charge is decreased by this process
Oxidizing Agent
An electron acceptor
Reducing Agent
An electron donor
Cellular Respiration
A process that occurs in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells and in the cytosol of prokaryotic cells; broken down into the subprocesses of glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, the citric acid/Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation; uses glucose and oxygen in order to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy (in the forms of ATP and heat); produces approximately 30-32 ATP molecules per glucose molecule
NAD+
A coenzyme and electron acceptor that functions as an oxidizing agent during cellular respiration
NADH
The reduced form of NAD+; represents stored energy that is tapped to synthesize ATP
Substrate Level Phosphorylation
A process in which a phosphate group from another carrier is added to ADP in order to form ATP; occurs in both glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
Electron Transport Chain (ETC)
A series of proteins and organic molecules found in the inner membrane of mitochondria; does not directly generate any ATP; works to create a proton concentration gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane that plays a large role in chemiosmosis
Glycolysis
The first step in all forms of cellular energy harvesting; an anaerobic process that uses a glucose molecule and 2 ATP in order to produce 2 pyruvic acid molecules, 4 ATP, and 2 NADH; occurs inside the cytoplasm of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
Pyruvate Oxidation
The intermediate step which links glycolysis to the citric acid cycle; occurs inside the mitochondrial matrix; the 2 pyruvic acid molecules produced by glycolysis are oxidized and converted to make 2 molecules of acetyl CoA in this step
Citric Acid Cycle/Krebs Cycle
The cyclical conversion of acetyl CoA into various other substances inside the mitochondrial matrix using recycled oxaloacetate; an aerobic process that generates 1 ATP, 3 NADH, and 1 FADH2 per rotation; produces 2 ATP, 6 NADH, and 2 FADH2 total
Oxidative Phosphorylation
The final step of cellular respiration; involves the use of the ETC and the process of chemiosmosis; uses oxygen in order to phosphorylate ADP molecules, producing approximately 26-28 ATP and a lot of water and heat
Chemiosmosis
The process by which ATP is produced during oxidative phosphorylation; the proton-motive force generated by the electrons moving down the ETC powers ATP synthase, which acts as a mill; H+ powers the phosphorylation of ADP, forming ATP
Cytochromes
Redox-active proteins containing a heme, with a central iron atom at its core, that function as electron carriers in the electron transport chain
ATP Synthase
A multi-subunit protein complex that uses an electrochemical proton motive force across a membrane to make the cell's supply of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi)
Proton Motive Force
Energy that is generated by the transfer of protons or electrons across an energy-transducing membrane
Beta Oxidation
A metabolic process involving multiple steps by which fatty acid molecules are broken down to produce energy and acetyl CoA
Gluconeogenesis
The process of making glucose from its own breakdown products, or from the breakdown products of lipids or proteins; often uses glycolysis and citric acid cycle intermediates
Photosynthesis
An autotrophic process that converts solar energy into chemical energy; occurs in plants, algae, other unicellular eukaryotes, and some prokaryotes
Autotrophs
Organisms that can produce their own food using materials from inorganic sources
Photoautotrophs
Organisms that carry out photosynthesis
Heterotrophs
Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must obtain their energy by consuming other organisms
Chloroplasts
A cell organelle that produces energy through photosynthesis
Stomata
Microscopic pores in the shoot epidermis of plants; allow for carbon dioxide to enter and for oxygen the mesophyll layer of leaves
Stroma
The fluid-filled internal space of the chloroplasts which encircle the grana and the thylakoids
Lumen
The space inside of thylakoid discs
Thylakoids
The internal membranes of chloroplasts that provide the platform for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
Grana
Stacks of thylakoid discs
Chlorophyll
The pigment that gives plants their green color and allows them to absorb sunlight; resides in the thylakoid membranes; absorbs red and blue light and reflects green light
Chlorophyll A
The main photosynthetic pigment; has a hydrocarbon "tail" which anchors it into a photosystem in the thylakoid membrane
Chlorophyll B
Accessory pigments that broaden the spectrum used for photosynthesis
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
The phototrophic process where light energy is captured and converted to ATP, without the production of oxygen; often used by bacteria
Light-Dependent Reactions
The first half of photosynthesis; captures light energy and uses it to create a concentration gradient that is used to produce NADPH and ATP; occurs in the thylakoids of chloroplasts
Photophosphorylation
A process in which light energy is converted to ATP once the transfer of electrons from chlorophyll pass through a system of carrier molecules
Calvin Cycle
The second half of photosynthesis; for the net synthesis of 1 G3P, the cycle must turn 3 times, fixing 3 molecules of carbon dioxide; it takes 6 carbon dioxide molecules, 18 ATP, and 9 NADPH to produce one molecule of glucose (or 2 G3P), meaning that the cycle must turn 6 times per the production of one molecule of glucose
Rubisco
Catalyzes the first step of carbon fixation; functions as a carbon dioxide acceptor
Carbon Fixation
The first phase of the Calvin cycle wherein photosynthetic organisms turn inorganic carbon into organic compounds, primarily carbohydrates