Energy Transformation, Cellular Energy & Enzymes (Outline)

• Energy conversions and recycling of matter in the ecosystem.

• Forms of energy: potential and kinetic energy
• The two laws of thermodynamic and definitions
• Chemical reactions and energy transformation
• Biochemical metabolic reactions and pathways
• Coupling energy consuming biochemical reactions with the energy
releasing reaction of ATP dissociation
• Types of cellular work that require energy (ATP)
• Role of enzymes in catalyzing biochemical reactions
• Biochemical composition of enzymes and the physical and chemical
factors that regulate their activity
• Competitive and non-competitive inhibitors of enzymes.
Figure 1.4-0

ENERGY FLOW

Sun

Inflow of Outflow of
light energy heat

Consumers
(animals)
Producers
(plants)

Chemical energy
Leaves take up in food Decomposers such
CO2 from air; roots as worms, fungi,
absorb H2O and and bacteria return
minerals from soil chemicals to soil
Figure 1.4-1

ENERGY FLOW

Sun

Inflow of Outflow of
light energy heat

Consumers
(animals)
Producers
(plants)

Chemical energy
Leaves take up in food Decomposers such
CO2 from air; roots as worms, fungi,
absorb H2O and and bacteria return
minerals from soil chemicals to soil
 Energy is the capacity to do work

– Kinetic energy is the energy of motion

– Potential energy is stored energy that can be

converted to kinetic energy

• Chemical bonds are a form of potential energy that can

be transformed to energize cellular work
The field of study of energy transformations is
Thermodynamics

• The First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy can not be created or destroyed, it can be
transformed from one form to another

• The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Energy transformations increase disorder or entropy of the
universe, and some energy is lost as heat.
Energy transformation is not 100% efficient
 Heat

Chemical reactions Carbon dioxide

+
Glucose
+ ATP ATP

water
Oxygen Energy for cellular work

Figure 5.2B
Chemical reactions either store or release energy
Endergonic reactions absorb energy and form
products rich in potential energy

Products
Potential energy of molecules

Amount of
energy
Energy required required

Reactants

Figure 5.3A
 Exergonic reactions release energy and yield
products that contain less potential energy than
their reactants

Reactants
Potential energy of molecules

Amount of
energy
Energy released released

Products

Figure 5.3B
Cells carry out thousands of chemical reactions
some exergonic and others endergonic

Cellular metabolism is the sum of all chemical

reactions that take place inside the cell

Energy coupling uses exergonic reactions to fuel

endergonic reactions
 – ATP powers cellular work by shuttling chemical
energy
– The energy in an ATP molecule lies in the bonds
between its phosphate groups
Adenosine Triphosphate Adenosine diphosphate

Phosphate
groups H2O

P P P P P + P + Energy
Hydrolysis
Adenine

Ribose
ATP ADP
Figure 5.4A
ATP hydrolysis is the main exergonic reaction
used in cellular energy coupling

ATP hydrolysis transfers a phosphate group to a

molecule (phosphorylation).

A phosphorylated molecule has a higher potential

energy making it possible for the reaction to take
place.
 ATP is a renewable resource that cells regenerate

ATP

Energy from Energy for

exergonic endergonic
reactions reactions
ADP + P

Figure 5.4C
 Types of Cellular Work
ATP

Chemical work Mechanical work Transport work

Membrane
protein
Solute

P + Motor
protein P

Reactants P

P
P

Product P
Molecule formed Protein moved Solute transported

Figure 5.4B ADP + P

 ENZYMES
• Proteins that function as catalysts for
biochemical reactions

• Have a conformation (3D shape) that

determines their specific binding to
reactants (substrates)

• Lower the energy barriers of chemical

reactions
For a chemical reaction to begin reactants must
absorb some energy, called the energy of
activation

Enzyme
EA barrier

Reactants

1 Products 2
Figure 5.5A
A protein catalyst called an enzyme can decrease
the energy of activation needed to begin a
reaction

EA without
enzyme
EA with
enzyme
Reactants
Energy

Net
change
in energy

Products

Progress of the reaction

Figure 5.5B
Enzymes, as proteins, have unique three-
dimensional shapes that determine which
chemical reactions occur in a cell

Each enzyme catalyzes a specific cellular

reaction
 The catalytic cycle of an enzyme

1 Enzyme available
with empty active
site
Active site Substrate
(sucrose)

2 Substrate binds to
enzyme with induced fit
Enzyme
Glucose (sucrase)

Fructose
H2O
4 Products are
released
3 Substrate is
converted to
products
Figure 5.6
The cellular environment affects enzyme activity

– Temperature, salt concentration, and pH

– Some enzymes require non-protein components

Cofactors- metal ions
Coenzymes- organic molecules (vitamin
derivatives)
– Enzyme inhibitors interfere with an enzyme’s
activity
– A competitive inhibitor takes the place of a
substrate in the active site
– A noncompetitive inhibitor alters an enzyme’s
function by changing its shape

Substrate Active site

Enzyme

Normal binding of substrate

Competitive
Noncompetitive
inhibitor
inhibitor

Enzyme inhibition
Figure 5.8
Many poisons, pesticides, and drugs are
enzyme inhibitors