GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
BIOENERGETICS
 Bioenergetics is the branch of biochemistry that
focuses on how cells transform energy often by
producing, storing or consuming adenosine
triphosphate (ATP).
 Bioenergetics is the part of biochemistry
concerned with the energy involved in making
and breaking of chemical bonds in the
molecules found in biological organisms.
 Energetic deals with the intake, processing, and
expenditure of energy with in the body
 Energy is provided by nutrients in the food
received via the digestive system Food
containing complex carbohydrates are broken
down into simple sugar such as glucose
ATP- ADP CYCLE
 This molecule acts as the short term energy
currency of the cell and provides the source of
energy used in individual synthetic
(nonspontaneous) reactions.
 ATP collects small packets of energy from the
food burning power plants of the cell and
transports this energy to where it is needed.
 ATP is used to close the energy gap between
energy releasing reactions (food breakdown)
and energy requiring reactions (synthesis)
 The energy carrying part of an ATP molecule is
the triphosphate “tail” Three phosphate groups
are joined by covalent bonds. The electrons in
these bonds carry energy
 Within the power plants of the cell
(mitochondria) energy is used to add one
molecule of inorganic phosphate (P) to a
molecule of adenosine diphosphate (ADP)
ADP+P+Energy--->ATP
 The amount of energy stored is about 7 300
calories for every mole of ATP formed.
 At the energy requiring site, the last phosphate
group in the tail is broken off and the energy in
the bond liberated
ATP-->ADP+P+Energy
 Again, about 7 300 calories of energy per mole
is released The ADP and the phosphate are
then free to return to the power plant and be
rejoined In this way, ATP and ADP are
constantly being recycled
CELLULAR RESPIRATION
 Respiration takes place in the mitochondria of
the cell in the presence of oxygen, which is
called aerobic respiration
 Respiration is essential for growth and
maintenance of all plant tissues and plays an
important role in the carbon balance of
individual cells, whole plants and ecosystems,
as well as in the global carbon cycle
There are 2 pathways by which energy is harvested
from food, with or without oxygen:
Aerobic pathway & Anaerobic Pathway
 Aerobic -Glycolysis → Krebs Cycle → Electron
Transport Chain
 Anaerobic -Glycolysis → Fermentation
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
 Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and
other organisms to convert light energy into
chemical energy that, through cellular
respiration, can later be released to fuel the
organism's activities.
 Photosynthesis, the process by which green
plants and certain other organisms transform
light energy into chemical energy . During
photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is
captured and used to convert water, carbon
dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy
rich organic compounds.
CELLULAR RESPIRATION
 The main function of cellular respiration is to
break down glucose to form energy
 Cellular respiration can be defined simply as a
series of metabolic processes that take place
within a cell
 Cellular respiration produces energy, which is
vital because the energy is used to maintain life
The process is carried out by both prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells
 The 4 stages of cellular respiration include
glycolysis transition reaction pyruvate
oxidation), the Krebs cycle (also known as the
citric acid cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation
through the electron transport chain.
How does cellular respiration work?
 Cellular respiration works either in the
presence or absence of oxygen. But essentially,
the process is called cellular respiration
because the cell seems to respire in a way that
it takes in molecular oxygen (as an electron
acceptor) and releases carbon dioxide. Hence,
the process is described as aerobic.
 An anaerobic type of respiration is carried out
chiefly by anaerobic organisms (e g anaerobic
bacteria) that use certain molecules as electron
acceptors instead of oxygen.
 In another anaerobic process, such as
fermentation, pyruvate is not metabolized in
the same way as an aerobic type of respiration
The pyruvate is not transported into the
mitochondrion Rather, it remains in the
cytoplasm where it can be turned into a waste
product that is removed from the cell
AEROBIC RESPIRATION
Inside the cell there are chemical reactions occur in
specific location and particular order
Three Stages of Aerobic Respiration;
1. Glycolysis- Cytoplasm
2. Krebs Cycle- Mitochondrion
3. Electron Transport Chain- Membrane of
Mitochondrion
GLYCOLYSIS
 The literal meaning of glycolysis is ‘splitting
sugar’ Glyco comes from the Greek word
‘sweet or sugar’ and lysis means ‘to split’
 Glycolysis is a series of reactions that extract
energy from glucose by splitting it into 2
molecules of pyruvate.
 Glycolysis is a biochemical pathway that
evolved long ago and is found in the majority of
organisms In organisms that perform cellular
respiration, glycolysis is the first stage of the
process .
 However, glycolysis doesn’t require oxygen,
and many anaerobic organisms also have this
pathway
 Before glycolysis begins, glucose must be
transported into the cell and phosphorylated In
most organisms, this occurs in the cytosol .
 The most common type of glycolysis is the
Embden Meyerhof Parnas (EMP pathway),
discovered by Gustav Embden Otto Meyerhof,
and Jakub Karol Parnas Glycolysis does refer to
other pathways, one such pathway described is
the Entner Doudoroff pathway This article
concentrates on the EMP pathway
The Embden Meyerhof Parnas (EMP) pathway of
Glycolysis
The glycolysis pathway can be separated into two
phases:
1. The Investment Phase- ATP is consumed.
2. The Pay Off Phase ATP is produced.
KREBS CYCLE
 The Krebs cycle, or also known as the citric acid
cycle was discovered by Hans Adolf Krebs in
1937 It can be described as a metabolic
pathway that generates energy.
 This process happens in the mitochondrial
matrix, where pyruvate has been imported
following glycolysis .
ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN
 The electron transport chain is the final stage in
cellular respiration It occurs on the inner
mitochondrial membrane and consists of
several electron carriers. The purpose of the
electron transport chain is to form a gradient of
protons that produces ATP
 Therefore, the role of oxygen in cellular
respiration is the final electron acceptor It is
worth noting that the electron transport chain
of prokaryotes may not require oxygen
 Other chemicals including sulfate can be used
as electron acceptors in the replacement of
oxygen
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
 Anaerobic cellular respiration is similar to
aerobic cellular respiration in that electrons
extracted from a fuel molecule are passed
through an electron transport chain, driving
ATP synthesis
FERMENTATION
 Fermentation is another anaerobic (non oxygen
requiring) pathway for breaking down glucose,
one that's performed by many types of
organisms and cells. In fermentation , the only
energy extraction pathway is glycolysis , with
one or two extra reactions tacked on at the
end.
AEROBIC RESPIRATION VS. ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
AEROBIC RESPIRATION
1. It takes place in the presence of oxygen.
2. In aerobic respiration, complete oxidation of
glucose takes place.
3. End products are CO, and water.
4. Lot of energy is liberated (38 ATP).
5. It occurs in plant's and animal's cells.
6. C6H1206+602→ 6 CO₂+ 6H2O+686 K.cal
 Fermentation and cellular respiration begin the
same way, with glycolysis . In fermentation,
however, the pyruvate made in glycolysis does
not continue through oxidation and the citric
acid cycle, and the electron transport chain
does not run.
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
1. It takes place in the absence of oxygen.
2. In anaerobic respiration, the glucose
molecule is incompletely oxidized.
3. End products are either ethyl alcohol or lactic
acid and CO₂-
4. Relatively small energy is liberated (2 ATP).
5. Occurs in many anaerobic bacteria and
human muscle cells.
6. C6H12O6→2C2H5OH + 2CO₂+56 K.cal