Lesson 4 – Cellular Metabolism

1. Identify the basic structure and gernal function of enzymes

 Functional proteins
 Biological catalysts
 Promote chemical reactions
 Regulate various metabolic pathways within the body
 Speed up reactions
 Required only in small amounts and if not used, recycled

2. Define catalyst
 Chemicals that increase the rate of a chemical reaction but is not permanently
altered by that reaction
 Biological = regulating and accelerating reactions that would normally occur at
the cellular level

3. Understand the concept of "right fit"

 Enzyme has an active site where a substrate will bind, fit together like an lock and
a key. Much to right

4. Identify factors that influence enzyme function

 Heat
 Radiation
 pH changes

5. Understand relationship between energy production and survival

 Need ATP molecules to provide cellular activities with energy to do the work of
the cell
 No ATP, no metabolic activity meaning homeostasis will not be maintained

6. Define cellular respiration

 Cellular energy that releases energy from organic compounds

7. Differentiate between anaerobic and aerobic respiration

a. Anaerobic (without oxygen)
- Enzyme activity breaks down a glucose to 2 pyruvic acid molecules
- Occurs in cytoplasm
- Energy created and transformed into 2 ATP molecules

b. Aerobic (with oxygen)

- Occurs in mitochondria
 - After cycle complete 36 ATP molecules form and products of CO2 and
H2O
- CO2 diffuse out of the cell as waste

8. Identify the end products of cellular respiration

 Energy = heat/ATP
 CO2
 H2O

9. Understand how energy is stored and released

 Stored in high energy bonds
 Addition of water the molecule breaks and energy is released
 Molecule is now ADP
 Needs to recapture another phosphate molecule to be functional again

10. Cause and effect of lactic acid

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11. Explain why we use lipids and proteins as fuels


12. Understand the structure and function of DNA

Structure of nucleic acids:
- sugar
- phosphate group
- one of organic bases (A, T, C, G)
- sugar and phosphate alternate and form a long chain (backbone)
- two strands are joined together in a weak bond to form a loader which is
twisted to form a double helix
- nucleotides are arranged in a particular sequence and paired in the ladder
in a complimentary fashion
Function:
- blueprint for protein synthesis
- directs cell parts to carry on life’s processes
- directs cells activites
- replicate itself before cell divides so all genetic information is passed to
each cell
13. Understand the importance of structural and functional proteins
Structural
- Strand like in appearance
 - Found within body structures
- Binds
- Provides strength
- Stable proteins
Functional
- Mobile, spherical molecules involved in biological processes
- They are doers they do things rather than form structures
- Scope is immense
- Not as stable
- Example:
1. Antibodies : provide immunity
2. Hormones – regulates growth and development
3. Enzymes – catalysts regulates every chemical reaction

14. Understand protein synthesis

 Key substance for all aspects of cellular life/both structural and functional
 Chromatin
- Fibers in cell nucleus contain DNA and protein
- During cell division they condense and from into chromosomes
- Which carries DNA and genetic information into each new cell
 DNA
- Master blueprint for protein synthesis
- Gene is a segment of NDA which carries information for building on
protein
 RNA
 mRNA – carries the instructions for proteins synthesis from the DNA gene to
ribosomes
 tRNA – transports the amino acids to the ribosomes forming a polypeptide chain
as long as the instructions give

15. Define transcription and translation (protein synthesis)

Transcription : transfer of information from DNA base sequence to the complementary
messenger RNA base sequence
Translation : information carried by messenger RNA is decoded and used to assemble
amino acids into a protein