BIOENERGETICS

DR. SHAHAB UDDIN

SENIOR LECTURER

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 1

CONTENTS
Define Bioenergetics
Define energy
What cell do with energy
Endergonic and exergonic reaction
Cellular metabolism
What is ATP

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 2

BIOENERGETICS
 A discipline within biochemistry
dedicated to the study of energy
flow within living systems

 Energy is essential for life.

 It takes energy to operate muscles,

extract wastes, make new cells, heal
wounds, even to think.

3
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed.
 BIOENERGETICS
 It is a field in biochemistry that concerns energy flow through living
systems.

 Active area of biological research that includes the study of

thousands of different cellular processes that can lead to
production and utilization of energy in forms such as ATP
molecules.

 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.

4
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed.
CONTINUED:
 Growth, development and metabolism are some of the central
phenomena in the study of biological organisms.
 The role of energy is fundamental to such biological processes.
 Living organisms obtain energy from organic and inorganic
materials.
 For example, In photosynthesis, autotrophs can produce ATP using
light energy.
 Heterotrophs must consume organic compounds.
 These are mostly carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
 Two types of organisms in this world
 Autotrophs
 Heterotrophs

5
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed.
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
 Process of converting CO2 and H2O (inorganic) in to Glucose
(organic)

 Factors affecting plant ability to make glucose

 Temperature

 CO2

 Water Light

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 6

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 7
RESPIRATION LOOKS LIKE
 Process of unlocking energy in glucose releasing CO2 and gaining
ATP
 Cellular respiration
 C6H12O6+6O2=6H2O+6CO2+ATP

 What factors would affect plant/animal ability to

make ATP from glucose
 Temperature
 Glucose
 O2

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 8

 WHAT IS ENERGY?
 Capacity to perform work.

 There are two examples:

 Kinetic Energy

 Potential Energy

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 9

 KINETIC ENERGY
 Energy in the process of doing work.

 Energy of motion For Example SUN

1. Heat

2. Light Energy

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 10

 POTENTIAL INJURY
 Energy that matter occupies because of it’s
location, arrangement, or position.

 Energy of position

 Examples:

 Water Behind a Dam

 Chemical Energy (Gas)

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 11

 FREE ENERGY

 Free energy is the useful energy in a system

 Gibbs change in free energy ΔG is that portion of the total

energy change in a system that is available for doing work

 i.e. the useful energy also known as chemical potential.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 12

 FIRST LAW OF
THERMODYNAMICS
 Energy can never be created nor destroyed but it can be converted

in other form.

 It means energy in universe is constant

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 13

 SECOND LAW OF
THERMODYNAMICS
 Second law of thermodynamics states that total entropy of a system
must increase if a process is to occur spontaneously.

 Entropy is the extent of disorder or randomness of the system.

 (Entropy: The amount of disorder in a system)

ΔG = ΔH – TΔS
ΔS is change in entropy
ΔG is change in free energy
ΔH is change in enthalpy (heat)

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 14

 ENDERGONIC REACTIONS
 Chemical reaction that requires a net input of energy.
 Example: Photosynthesis

Light
SUN Energy

6CO2 + 6H2O  + 6O2

C6H12O6

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 15

 EXERGONIC REACTIONS
Chemical reactions that releases energy.

Example:
1. Cellular Respiration

Energy

+ 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP

C6H12O6

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 16

 WHAT CAN CELLS DO
WITH ENERGY?
Cells use energy for:

◦ Chemical work

◦ Mechanical work

◦ Electrochemical work

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 17

 CELLULAR METABOLISM
 The combine catabolic and anabolic processes constitute metabolism.
 In general, metabolism can be split into 2 groups of reactions:

 CATABOLISM: Which breaks down molecules, releasing energy. The

exergonic rather than exothermic reactions are termed as catabolism.

 ANABOLISM: Which uses energy from ATP to synthesize large

molecules, including macromolecules. The endergonic reactions are
example.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 18

 ANABOLIC PATHWAY
 Metabolic reactions, which consume energy
(endergonic), to build complicated molecules from
simpler compounds.

Example: light
SUN energy
Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O  + 6O2

C6H12O6
(glucose)
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 19
 CATABOLIC PATHWAY
 Metabolic reactions which release energy
(exergonic) by breaking down complex molecules
in simpler compounds.

Example:
1. Cellular Respiration energy

C H O + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2 O

AT
(g6 lu1c2 os6 e) P
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 20
 WHAT IS ATP?
 ATP is the universal energy carrier
 Most cell processes use the same energy source, the
rechargeable energy carrier, adenosine-tri-
phosphate  ATP.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 21

 ATP COMPONENTS
 Adenine: Nitrogenous base

 Ribose: Five carbon sugar

 Phosphate group: Chain of three

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 22

HOW DOES ATP WORK?
 The phosphate groups are held to each other by very
high energy chemical bonds.

 Under certain conditions, the end phosphate can break

away and the energy released to the energy-hungry
reactions that keep a cell alive.

 When the end phosphate is released, what is left is

ADP, adenosine diphosphate.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 23

CONTINUED:
 This change from TRI to DI is taking place constantly as

ATPs circulate through cells.

 The recharging of ADP to ATP requires a huge energy

 investment, and that energy comes from the food we eat.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 24

HYDROLYSIS OF ATP
ATP + H2O  ADP + P (exergonic)

P P P

+
P P P
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 25
DEHYDRATION OF ADP
ADP + P  ATP + H2O (endergonic)

P P P

+
P P P
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 26
Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 27
SUMMARY:
 Bioenergetics is the branch of biochemistry that focuses on

how cells transform energy, often by producing, storing or

consuming adenosine triphosphate (ATP). 

 Bioenergetic processes, such as cellular respiration or

photosynthesis, are essential to most aspects of cellular

metabolism, therefore to life itself.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 28

REFERENCES:
 Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry, 28th Edition

 Lippincott Illustrated Review, by Pamela.

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 29

Harper's Biochemistry, 28th Ed. 30