Cells & Molecules 2012

Week 4: Cell Biology V

Chloroplasts & mitochondria
» The energetic organelles
» Surface area again…..
» Chloroplasts
» Mitochondria
 Where do you get the
Energy to carry on?
Clues from classification

Lots of ways of characterising different organisms:

» Classification system
» Mode of nutrition ???
 Classification of life
Domains and Kingdoms

3 domains
» Bacteria – single-celled prokaryote
» Archaea – single-celled prokaryote
» Eukarya – single-celled or multicellular eukaryote
 divided into 4 Kingdoms
 Plantae
 Animalia
 Fungi
 Protista
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Classification of life
Domains and Kingdoms
 Classification of life
Organisms can be classified based on how
they obtain energy:
» All organisms use cellular respiration to extract
energy from organic molecules
» Autotrophs
 produce their own organic molecules via photosynthesis
» Heterotrophs
 Live on organic compounds produced by other organisms

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 Autotrophs vs. heterotrophs
Autotrophic: can ‘make’ all requirements

Photoautotrophs
» photosynthetic organisms (e.g. algae and plants)
» use sunlight & carbon dioxide to produce organic
compounds
Chemoautotrophs
» e.g. bacteria in geothermal vents

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Autotrophs vs. heterotrophs
Heterotrophic: need to acquire organic
compounds ‘ready made’

Heterotrophs can be
» Herbivores
» Omnivores
» Carnivores

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 Energy and Matter
Every object is made of matter
» The Earth system contains a finite amount of matter
 so the planet's matter is constantly recycled.
» Living systems require a constant supply of energy
 Energy cannot be recycled
» Nearly all ecosystems on Earth receive their input of
energy from sunlight
» Sun emits electromagnetic energy
 Photons that travels at the speed of light
» Plants capture light energy & transform to chemical energy
 stored in chemical bonds

Principles of Biology
Energy and Matter
Figure 1 A fern leaf capturing sunlight.

Principles of Biology
Energy and Matter
Chemical energy
 Energy and Matter
Energy and matter flow from one organism to another
» cells use energy from sunlight to drive the chemical
reactions of photosynthesis
 break the bonds between C and O atoms in carbon dioxide
 break the bonds between H and O atoms in in water
» animal eat plants
 takes in organic molecules & energy contained in chemical bonds
 provide a source of atoms for building molecules that form
structures & serve important functions
» Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) consume organic matter
from organisms that have died
 salvaging some of stored energy & recycling organic matter
 Energy and Matter
Matter cycling within ecosystems
 Energy and Matter
ATP - Cellular energy
» Cells of all organisms use the same currency in the form of a
molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP's structure allows
» a cell to remove a phosphate group to release energy
» a cell can add a a phosphate group to ADP to store energy as ATP.
Animal
cell

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Plant
cell

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 Mitochondria & Chloroplasts
energy-converting organelles

different from other organelles.

» contain their own set of DNA and ribosomes
» capable of synthesizing their own proteins
» capable of dividing on their own.

Respiration & Photosynthesis

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Principles of Biology 16
 Chloroplasts
Power Generators of the cell
» present in cells of plants & some other eukaryotes
» Contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis
» converts the sun's energy, carbon dioxide + water
glucose
» Surrounded by 2 membranes
˃ Thylakoids = membranous sacs within the inner membrane
˃ Grana = stacks of thylakoids
» Have their own DNA

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Chloroplasts

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Fig. 5.22b
Chloroplasts
 Mitochondria
Power Generators of the cell
» Found in all types of eukaryotic cells
» Bound by membranes
 Outer membrane
 Inner membrane
 has cristae
 Intermembrane space
 Matrix

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Mitochondria

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 Mitochondria
Power Generators of the cell

» provide energy through cellular respiration

» break down carbohydrates (glucose) to create ATP
» possess inner and outer membranes
 maximize surface area on which chemical reactions occur
 inner membrane is folded, forming pockets called cristae.
 proteins embedded and on surface of inner membrane
» Have their own DNA
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 Ageing and Mitochondria
Eating Broccoli could save your life!
» Eating fruit and vegetables associated with a
potential reduction in risk of heart disease and cancer

» evidence is strongest for cruciferous vegetables.

 E.g. broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress & rocket

» Evidence comes from epidemiologic studies

 Show associations between consumption of cruciferous
vegetables and reduction in cancers risks
 including lung, breast, colon/rectum, and prostate
 Ageing and Mitochondria
What is happening at the cellular level?
» Mitochondria become less efficient & malfunction with age
» Chemicals in broccoli help restore mitochondrial function
» main mechanism proposed
 activity of isothiocyanates derived from the metabolism of
glucosinolates found in these vegetables

» Beneforte – broccoli variety high in glucoraphanin

» Blood tests showed clear signs of improved metabolism in
Beneforte group
 Antibiotic
raphanin » Rebalances
mitochondrial
d
olise metabolism
etab
m
glucoraphanin
me
tab
olis
ed Anti-oxidant
sulforaphane » Removes destructive
oxygen molecules that
can disrupt mitochondrial
machinery
 Endosymbiosis
Evolution of eukaryotic cells?

» Proposes that some of today’s eukaryotic

organelles evolved by a symbiosis arising
between two cells that were each free-living
» One cell, a prokaryote, was engulfed by and
became part of another cell, which was the
precursor of modern eukaryotes
» Mitochondria and chloroplasts

Principles of Biology 26
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