BIOL 1406 FLASHCARDS: Exam #3

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Metabolism

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128 Terms

1

Metabolism

The totality of an organism's chemical reactions; an emergent property of life that arises from orderly interactions between molecules

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2

Metabolic Pathway

Begins with specific reactants and ends with specific products; each step is catalyzed by a particular enzyme

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3

Catabolic Pathway

Releases energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler compounds; cellular respiration is an example of this

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4

Anabolic Pathway

Consumes energy in order to construct complex molecules from simpler ones; photosynthesis is an example of this

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5

Bioenergetics

The study of how energy flows through living organisms

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Energy

The capacity to cause change; can be converted from one form to another

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Kinetic Energy

Energy associated with motion

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8

Heat (Thermal Energy)

Kinetic energy associated with the random movement of atoms or molecules

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Potential Energy

Energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure

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10

Chemical Energy

Potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction

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11

Isolated System

A system that is unable to exchange energy or matter with its surroundings

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12

Open System

A system that has the ability to exchange energy and matter with its surroundings

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13

Thermodynamics

The study of energy transformations

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14

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

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Second Law of Thermodynamics

States that every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe

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Spontaneous Process

A process that can occur without energy input; can happen quickly or slowly; must increase the entropy of the universe

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Entropy (S)

The measure of the total amount of disorder caused by a thermodynamic system

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18

Enthalpy (H)

The measure of the total amount of energy present in a thermodynamic system; represented by the equation H = G + TS

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19

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

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20

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

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Positive ΔG

Means that free energy is required by a thermodynamic system

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Negative ΔG

Means that free energy is released by a thermodynamic system

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Equilibrium

A state of maximum stability that can be achieved in a reaction

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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

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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

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Energy Coupling

The use of exergonic processes to drive endergonic processes

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27

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The cell's main source of energy - captures and transfers free energy; composed of ribose, adenine, and three phosphate groups

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Cellular Activities

Powered by ATP hydrolysis; includes mechanical work, chemical work, and the cell's transport of other molecules

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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

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Phosphorylation

The process by which ATP drives endergonic reactions by transferring a phosphate group to another molecule

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Phosphorylated Intermediate

The molecule that receives the phosphate group from ATP in phosphorylation

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Catalyst

A chemical agent that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed by the reaction

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Enzyme

A catalytic protein; increases the rate of a chemical reaction by decreasing the reaction's activation energy

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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

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Transition State

An intermediate state during a chemical reaction that has a higher energy than the reactants or the products; highly reactive and unstable

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Substrate

The reactant that an enzyme acts on; the rate of a catalyzed reaction depends on the overall concentration of this

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Enzyme-Substrate Complex

Created when an enzyme binds to its substrate

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Active Site

Region of an enzyme where the substrate binds; catalyzes the reaction resulting in the production of particular products

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Allosteric Site

Region of an enzyme where activators or inhibitors can bind in order to stimulate or hinder enzyme activity

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Induced Fit

A continuous change in the conformation and shape of an enzyme in response to substrate binding

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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

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Maximum Rate

Used to calculate enzyme efficiency

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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

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Cofactors

The inorganic substances that are needed by certain enzymes in order to carry out catalysis of particular chemical reactions

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Prosthetic Groups

Non-amino acid groups bound to enzymes

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Inorganic Cofactors

Ions which are permanently bound to enzymes

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Coenzymes

Small, carbon-containing molecules; not permanently bound to enzymes; vitamins are example of these

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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

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Active Form of an Enzyme

The binding of an activator to an enzyme's allosteric site stabilizes this form of the enzyme

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Inactive Form of an Enzyme

The binding of an inhibitor to an enzyme's allosteric site stabilizes this form of the enzyme

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Competitive Inhibitors

Bind to an enzyme's active site, thereby competing with the substrate in a particular reaction

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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

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Cooperativity

A form of allosteric regulation that can amplify enzyme activity

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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

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55

Aerobic

Describes respiration or other catabolic process that require oxygen; the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation are examples of this type of process

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Anaerobic

Describes respiration or other catabolic process that do not require oxygen; glycolysis and fermentation are examples of this type of process

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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

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58

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

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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

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Obligate Anaerobes

Carry out fermentation and anaerobic respiration; cannot survive in the presence of oxygen

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Facultative Anaerobes

Can survive by using either fermentation or cellular respiration; yeast and many bacteria are examples of these

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62

Redox/Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Chemical reactions that transfer electrons between reactants

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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

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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

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Oxidizing Agent

An electron acceptor

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Reducing Agent

An electron donor

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67

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

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68

NAD+

A coenzyme and electron acceptor that functions as an oxidizing agent during cellular respiration

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NADH

The reduced form of NAD+; represents stored energy that is tapped to synthesize ATP

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70

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

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71

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

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72

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

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73

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

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74

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

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75

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

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76

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

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77

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

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78

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)

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79

Proton Motive Force

Energy that is generated by the transfer of protons or electrons across an energy-transducing membrane

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80

Beta Oxidation

A metabolic process involving multiple steps by which fatty acid molecules are broken down to produce energy and acetyl CoA

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81

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

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82

Photosynthesis

An autotrophic process that converts solar energy into chemical energy; occurs in plants, algae, other unicellular eukaryotes, and some prokaryotes

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Autotrophs

Organisms that can produce their own food using materials from inorganic sources

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Photoautotrophs

Organisms that carry out photosynthesis

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Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must obtain their energy by consuming other organisms

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86

Chloroplasts

A cell organelle that produces energy through photosynthesis

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87

Stomata

Microscopic pores in the shoot epidermis of plants; allow for carbon dioxide to enter and for oxygen the mesophyll layer of leaves

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Stroma

The fluid-filled internal space of the chloroplasts which encircle the grana and the thylakoids

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Lumen

The space inside of thylakoid discs

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Thylakoids

The internal membranes of chloroplasts that provide the platform for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis

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91

Grana

Stacks of thylakoid discs

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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

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Chlorophyll A

The main photosynthetic pigment; has a hydrocarbon "tail" which anchors it into a photosystem in the thylakoid membrane

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Chlorophyll B

Accessory pigments that broaden the spectrum used for photosynthesis

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95

Anoxygenic Photosynthesis

The phototrophic process where light energy is captured and converted to ATP, without the production of oxygen; often used by bacteria

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96

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

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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

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98

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

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99

Rubisco

Catalyzes the first step of carbon fixation; functions as a carbon dioxide acceptor

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100

Carbon Fixation

The first phase of the Calvin cycle wherein photosynthetic organisms turn inorganic carbon into organic compounds, primarily carbohydrates

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