General Metabolism

Dr. Rajeev Pandey

2010 Rajeev Pandey

Did you ever ask these questions?

How the nutrients that we are ingesting daily become part of our body and allow growth to occur (what is the fate of the sugar, fat, protein and nucleic acids that enter our body along with the food ?) Why do we become fat by only eating sugar? What is the molecular nature of the large number of genetic diseases? How can we find ways to prevent and treat them? What does O2 do for us? How do the various living organisms produce and consume energy?

Metabolism
The totality of the transformation of biomolecules (matter) and energy

Definition of Metabolism
The entire highly integrated and regulated network of chemical transformations (as stepwise metabolic pathways catalyzed by many enzymes) occurring in a living organism (through which cells extract energy and reducing power from its environment, as well as synthesize the building blocks of its macromolecules and then the macromolecules themselves).

Metabolism is categorized into two types Catabolism (degradation): larger molecules (nutrients and cell constituents) are broken down (often via exergonic reactions) to salvage (reuse) their components or/and to generate energy. Anabolism (biosynthesis): The generation of biomolecules from simpler components (often via endergonic reactions).

(Fuels)

Exergonic Oxidation
Biodegradation Output of energy

Complex Metabolites

Simpler Metabolites

Input of energy

Endergonic Reduction
Biosynthesis

Major Roles of Metabolism

Extract energy and reducing power (oxidative degradation of nutrients). Generation (interconversion) of all the biomolecules for a living organism.

Thus comes the term Dynamic Biochemistry

(Fuels)

The role of Metabolism

Extract energy and reducing power

ATP: Energy currency

Also for mobility, transport of nutrients and so on.

Generate all biomolecules

General Features of Metabolism

Occurs in specific cellular (tissue and organ) locations as a series of enzyme-catalyzed linear, branched or circular reactions, or pathways. Highly coupled and interconnected. Highly regulated (often reciprocally) to achieve the best economy (Balanced supply and demand). The number of reactions is large (over 1000), however, the number of types of reactions is relatively small. Well conserved during evolution: reflecting the unity of the life phenomena (what happens in bacteria happens in human being).

Enjoy Biochemistry A course that will allow you to learn what life is really all about.