ENERGY AND THE CELL

Photosynthesis
and
Cellular Respiration
 Energy and the Cell

 “Mitochondria and Chloroplast” – providing energy to living things

MITOCHONDRIA
CHLOROPLAST
 Energy and the Cell

Breakdown of starch

Energy is released form starch in a series of

enzyme – assisted chemical reactions.
Energy and the Cell

ENERGY FLOWS BETWEEN ORGANISMS IN LIVING THINGS

 Sunlight is a non-usable form of energy for

living cells.

 Autotrophs (organisms that make their own

food) use energy from sunlight to run
metabolic processes that result in the
production of food (organic compounds).

 Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot

make their own food. They need to eat or
consume something else.
 Energy and the Cell

ATP STORES AND RELEASES ENERGY

There is a great amount of energy stored in the bonds between the

phosphate groups especially in the third phosphate. When these bonds are
broken the energy released is used to run a cellular (metabolic) process.

ATP ADP + P + Energy

 Energy and the Cell
ATP STORES AND RELEASES ENERGY

ATP - Adenosine triphosphate, is an organic molecule composed of a base

(adenine), sugar (ribose), and three phosphate groups. That acts as the main
energy currency of cells.

The Biochemistry of energy release.

 Energy and the Cell

The diagram to the right and the chemical

reaction above show the reactants and
products of photosynthesis.

Energy from the sun is used to run this

reaction. A glucose molecule is produced.

The chemical bonds that hold the atoms of

glucose together are rich in chemical energy.

So the reason plants make glucose is to store

energy for later use that will run metabolic
processes.
 Energy and the Cell

 PHOTOSYNTHESIS –The process by

which light energy originating from the
sun is used to produce organic
compounds.

 These compounds that are produced

are rich in chemical energy, which can
be harnessed, when these organic
compounds are broken down through
metabolic processes.
 Energy and the Cell
PHOTOSYNTHETIC ORGANISMS USE THE ENERGY IN SUNLIGHT

Chloroplasts reflect
green light (not used).
Blue and red light is
absorbed from
electromagnetic
spectrum.
Splitting water in thylakoid
membrane keeps the process
going.

Responsible for powering photosynthesis.

 Photosynthesis Overview
 Stage 1: Energy is captured from sunlight.

 Stage 2: Light energy is converted into chemical energy,

which is temporarily stored in ATP and the electron carrier
molecule NADPH

 Stage 3: The chemical energy stored in ATP and NADPH

powers the formation of organic compounds, using carbon
dioxide (CO2).
Stage 1: Light Energy is Absorbed
 Energy released from the sun is radiation.
 Different types of radiation (heat, light) have
different wavelengths.
 Visible Spectrum of Light is absorbed by different
pigments in skin, leaves, clothing, etc.
 Chlorophyll and other Pigments

 Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light and reflects green and
yellow - making plants look green

 Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll b

 Fall colors are produced by other pigments - carotenoids which

reflect orange and yellow
 THYLAKOID – Disc shaped
membrane sac structure found
inside the chloroplast. Site where
light energy is absorbed and
used to run the photosynthesis
reaction that energy is also
converted into chemical energy.

CHLOROPHYLL - Primary
pigment responsible for
trapping light energy in
photosynthesis. It is the
pigment that gives many
plants their green
appearance.
 Production of Oxygen

 Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts.

 Within the chloroplasts are disk-shaped structures called
thylakoids
 Has TWO membranes
 A “bi-bilayer!”

 The inner membrane is called the

thylakoid.
 The thylakoid is folded and looks like
stacks of coins called granum (grana
singular).
 The stroma is the space surrounding the
granum
 Chloroplasts

 Chlorophyll molecules are

embedded in the thylakoid
membrane

 Act like a light “antenna”

 These molecules can

absorb sunlight energy.
 Production of Oxygen

 When light strikes the

thylakoid, energy is
transferred to electrons in
chlorophyll
 Electrons become “excited”
with extra energy
 Excited electrons jump from
chlorophyll to chlorophyll
molecule
 http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/chapter10/animations.html#

Outside Thylakoid

e-

Water-splitting Thylakoid Space

Enzyme 4H+

2H2O O2

When electrons leave a chlorophyll they are replaced by the electron in a

hydrogen atom from water - releasing oxygen.
Stage II: Light Energy Converted to Chemical Energy

 Excited electrons are used to create new molecules

(including ATP) that temporarily store energy

 Excited electrons are passed through down through the

thylakoid membrane via the Electron Transport Chain

 As electrons are passed, their energy allows Hydrogen

ions to pass into the thylakoid - concentration gradient
 Stage II: Light Energy Converted to Chemical Energy

 Hydrogens diffuse back out of the thylakoid through

carrier proteins.

 As they pass through, they assist the production of ATP

from ADP and P.

 Second electron transport chain provides energy to

produce NADPH which will help make C-H bonds later.
 The Light (Dependent) Reaction of
Photosynthesis

 Stages I and II
 Pigment molecules in the thylakoids of chloroplasts
absorb light energy
 Electrons are excited and move through electron
transport chains in the thylakoid membrane
 These electrons are replaced by those from water,
releasing oxygen gas
 Hydrogen ions accumulate inside the thylakoid and
then diffuse out creating ATP and NADPH
Light Independent Reactions
(formerly the “dark reactions”)
 Happen in sunlight, and in
the dark.
 Hence “independent of
light”
1. ATP generated by sunlight
drives the Calvin Cycle.
2. Monosaccarides (eg.
glucose) are
manufactured in the
cycle.
3. Monosaccarides are used
to “build” polysaccharides
(eg. Starch).
 Steps of the Calvin Cycle
(Carbon Fixation)

 Step 1: Each CO2 molecule is added to a 5-carbon

compound by an enzyme.
 Step 2: Resulting 6-C compound splits in half,
Phosphates are added to the 3-C compounds forming
3-C sugars.
 Step 3: One of the 3-C sugars is used to make
glucose.
 Step 4: The other 3-C sugar is used to regenerate the
original 5-C compound.
Occurs in the Stroma
 Occurs in the Stroma

The Calvin cycle has three stages.

In stage 1, the enzyme RuBisCO incorporates carbon dioxide into an organic

molecule, 3-PGA.
In stage 2, the organic molecule is reduced using electrons supplied by NADPH.
In stage 3, RuBP, the molecule that starts the cycle, is regenerated so that the
cycle can continue.
 Occurs in the Stroma

The Calvin cycle has three stages.

Factors affecting the rate of Photosynthesis

 Amount of Light
 Carbon Dioxide Concentration
 Temperature
 Photosynthesis: Overall Summary

 Photosynthesis Occurs in Chloroplasts.

 Light Reaction (Stages I and II): Capture of sunlight
energy by electrons and splitting of water which releases
oxygen gas.
 Light-Independent Reaction (Stage III): Creation of
Glucose from Carbon Dioxide; Calvin Cycle.
 Overall Reaction:
CO2 + H2O + sunlight energy C6H12O6 + O2
Energy and the Cell
 Cellular Respiration

 Involves the Breakdown of Organic Matter to produce usable form of

energy (ATP).

 Two Types:

 Aerobic - A metabolic process that requires oxygen by which living

things harvest the energy from food molecules (organic compounds).
This process yields large amounts of ATP (useable form energy in
cells).

 Anaerobic - A metabolic process that does not require oxygen. Living

things still harvest the energy from food molecules (organic
compounds). This process yields lower amounts of ATP as compared
to aerobic respiration.
 Energy and the Cell

 The equation above shows the overall reaction of what happens

in aerobic respiration, but not how it happens. Living things
perform this chemical reaction to release biochemical energy,
which is stored in or used to produce ATP molecules.
1. In the cytoplasm of the cell, glucose is split into two individual 3-carbon
compounds (Pyruvate). No oxygen is needed for this to occur and very little
ATP is produced.

2. In Eukarytoic cells these 3-carbon compounds enter one of the mitochondria

in the cell, and with the presence of oxygen are broken down further to
produce large amounts of useable energy (ATP). Carbon dioxide and water
are also produced, but are wastes.
 Energy and the Cell

 The three parts of Aerobic Cellular Respiration:

 Glycloysis (happens in Cytoplasm)

 Kreb Cycle (happens in in mitochondrial matrix)

 Electron Transport Chain (happens in in

mitochondrial membrane)
 Glycolysis

Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway by which a

6-carbon glucose (Glc) molecule is broken
down into two molecules of pyruvate.
 Energy and the Cell

Krebs Cycle

 The pyruvate molecules produced during glycolysis contain a lot of

energy in the bonds between their molecules.

 In order to use that energy, the cell must convert it into the form of ATP.

 To do so, pyruvate molecules are processed through the Kreb Cycle.

 Prior to entering the Krebs Cycle, pyruvate must be converted into acetyl
CoA.
 Krebs Cycle
http://www.wiley.com/college/pratt/0471393878/student/animations/citric_acid_cycle/index.html
 Energy and the Cell
Electron Transport Chain

 The electron transport chain, is a sequence of complexes

found in the mitochondrial membrane that accept electrons
from electron donors.

 These donors shuttle these electrons across the

mitochondrial membrane creating an electrical and chemical
gradient, and, through the proton driven chemistry of the
ATP synthase, generate adenosine triphosphate.
http://vcell.ndsu.nodak.edu/animations/etc/movie.htm
 http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/chapter9/animations.html

Electron Transport Chain

 Overall Energy Yield -
Aerobic Cellular Respiration
 Glycolysis - 2 ATP
 Krebs Cycle - 2 ATP
 Electron Transport Chain - 32 ATP
 Total - 36 ATP
 Energy and the Cell
FERMENTATION FOLLOWS GLYCOLYSIS IN THE ABSENCE OF OXYGEN

FERMENTATION – Anaerobic process of cellular respiration

that recycles NAD+ needed to continue glycolysis.
 Energy and the Cell

FERMENTATION FOLLOWS GLYCOLYSIS IN THE ABSENCE OF OXYGEN

 When oxygen is not present organisms can break down organic

compounds by using a different chemical mechanism.
 Simple organisms like bacteria produce all of their energy (ATP) this way.
 When a person feels that their muscles burning after working out it is
because their muscles are breaking down sugar by anaerobic respiration
because there is no oxygen available in the muscle cells.
 There is a build of lactic acid in the muscle cells that is product of this
reaction, it is what causes the burning sensation.
 Comparison of Aerobic and
Anaerobic Cellular Respiration
Glucose
Glycolysis 2 ATP

Without Oxygen Pyruvate With Oxygen

Krebs Cycle 2 ATP

Fermentation

Lactate Ethanol and

Electron
Carbon Dioxide 32 ATP
Transport
Chain
 Comparison of aerobic and
anaerobic respiration
Aerobic respiration Anaerobic Respiration

in animals in plants and yeast

Oxygen required?
yes no no
Glycolysis occurs
yes yes yes
ATP yield
36ATP 2ATP 2ATP
Glucose completely broke
down? yes no no
End products
Carbon Lactic acid Ethanol and
dioxide carbon
and water dioxide