An Introduction to Metabolism

Metabolism, Energy and Life

 Metabolism: The totality of an
organism’s chemical reactions
• Catabolic Pathways: • Anabolic Pathways:
Release energy by Consume energy to
breaking down build complicated
complex molecules. molecules.
Example: Cellular Example: Synthesis
Respiration; digestion of a protein from
amino acids;
photosynthesis
 Thermodynamics: the study of
the energy transformations that
occur in a collection of matter
• Closed System: • Open System:
Is isolated from its Energy and matter can
surroundings. be transferred between
the system and its
surroundings.
Example: any
organism is an open
system.
 Laws of Thermodynamics
• First Law: • Second Law:
Energy can be Every energy transfer
transferred and or transformation
transformed, but not increases the entropy
created or destroyed. (disorder) of the
universe. Much
energy is converted to
heat—energy in its
most random state.
 Organisms live at the expense of
free energy
• Free energy: the portion of a system’s
energy that can perform work when
temperature is uniform throughout the
system. (Called “free” because it is
available for work.)
How can we express free energy?

• Free energy is symbolized by the letter G.

It has two components: The system’s total
energy (H) and its entropy (S).
Therefore……
• G = H – TS
*Where T is temperature in Kelvin units.
 TAKE HOME MESSAGE
ABOUT FREE ENERGY:
• In Exergonic • In Endergonic
Reactions: The Reactions: The
reactions have a net reactions have a net
release of free energy, gain of free energy,
thus DELTA G is thus DELTA G is
negative (free energy postive . Example:
is lost). Example: Photosynthesis.
Cellular Respiration. *Energy must be
absorbed!
 Metabolic Disequilibrium

• Systems (including cells) at equilibrium

have a DELTA G of zero. In other words, it
can do no work and is DEAD!!!
• A cell can maintain disequilibrium because
it is an OPEN system. The constant flow of
materials into and out of the cell keeps the
metabolic pathways from ever reaching
equilibrium.
 Energy Coupling

• Energy coupling: The use of an exergonic

process to drive an endergonic one.
• ATP is responsible for mediating most
energy coupling in cells.