Cellular Respiration

BIO100 Chp 7

Cellular respiration
Mitochondria glycolysis
Inside the mitochondria
Fermentation
metabolism

Cellular Respiration

Overall process
Oxidation of glucose to carbon dioxide, water, and energy

Exergonic reaction used to drive ATP synthesis

4 phases of respiration required for complete oxidation of glucose

Oxidation involves the removal of hydrogen atoms from substrates by

redox coenzymes NAD+ and FAD

Phases of cellular respiration

Glycolysis

ATP

Breakdown of glucose to 2 molecules of pyruvate

Oxidation by removal of hydrogens releases enough energy to make 2

Preparatory reaction

Pyruvate oxidized to acetyl CoA and carbon dioxide is removed

Prep reaction occurs twice because glycolysis produces 2 pyruvates

Citric acid cycle

Acetyl CoA is converted to citric acid and enters the cycle

Cyclical series of oxidation reactions that produces 1 ATP and carbon

dioxide

Citric acid cycle turns twice because 2 acetyl CoAs are produced per
glucose

Electron transport chain

Series of electron carrier molecules

Electrons passed from one carrier to another
As the electrons move from a higher energy state to a lower one, energy
is released to make ATP

Under aerobic conditions 32-34 ATP per glucose molecule can be

produced

Pyruvate

Pivotal metabolite in cellular respiration

If no oxygen is available, pyruvate is reduced to lactate (in animals) or
ethanol and carbon dioxide (in plants) in a process called fermentation

Cellular respiration

Outside the mitochondria: glycolysis

Energy-investment steps

Energy from 2 ATP is used to activate glucose

Glucose is split into 2 3-carbon G3P molecules

Energy-harvesting steps

Oxidation of G3P by removal of hydrogens

Hydrogens are picked up by NAD+ to form NADH

Oxidation of G3P and further substrates yields enough energy to produce

4 ATP by direct substrate phosphorylation

Glycolysis yields:

4 ATP by direct substrate phosphorylation

2 ATP were consumed in the investments steps

Net gain of ATP from glycolysis is therefore 2 ATP

2 NADH which will carry electrons to the electron transport chain

When oxygen is available pyruvate will enter the mitochondria for further
oxidation

If no oxygen is available, pyruvate will enter the fermentation pathway

Breathing, eating, and cellular respiration

Oxygen is taken in by breathing
Digested food contains glucose
Oxygen and glucose are carried to cells by the bloodstream
Glucose and oxygen enter cells where respiration occurs
Carbon dioxide is taken by the bloodstream to the lungs
Relationship between breathing, eating, and cell respiration

Preparatory reaction

Produces the molecule that will enter the citric acid cycle
3C pyruvate is converted to 2C acetyl CoA
Carbon dioxide is produced
Hydrogen atoms are removed from pyruvate and picked up to form NADH
This reaction occurs twice per glucose

Citric acid cycle

2C acetyl group from prep reaction combines with a 4C molecule to

produce 6C citrate
Oxidation of citrate by removal of hydrogens

Produces 3 NADH and 1 FADH2

Produces 1 ATP by direct substrate phosphorylation

Cycle turns twice per glucose

Total yield: 6 NADH, 2 FADH2, 2 ATP, 4 CO

Electron transport chain (ETC)

2 electrons per NADH and FADH2 enter ETC

Electrons are passed to series of electron carriers called cytochromes

Energy is captured and stored as a hydrogen ion concentration gradient

For each NADH enough energy is released to form 3 ATP

For each FADH2 there are 2 ATP produced

the final electron acceptor is oxygen

After receiving electrons oxygen combines with hydrogen ions to form

water as an end product O2+ 2 e- + 2H+ H2O

NAD+ and FAD recycle back to pick up more electrons from glycolysis,

prep reaction, and citric acid cycle

The Efficiency of cellular respiration

The difference in energy content of reactants (glucose and oxygen) and

products (carbon dioxide and water) is 686 kcal
ATP phosphate bond has 7.3 kcal of energy

36 ATP are produced in respiration 36 X 7.3 = 263 kcal

263/686 = 39% efficiency of energy capture

The rest of the energy is lost as heat

Fermentation

Fermentation

Occurs when O2 is not available

Animal cells convert pyruvate to lactate
Plant cells, yeasts convert pyruvate to ethanol and CO 2
Fermentation regenerates NAD+ which keeps glycolysis going

Advantages and Disadvantages of fermentation

Provides a low but continuous supply of ATP when oxygen is limited and
only glycolysis can function
Lactate is potentially toxic to muscles, lowering pH and causing fatigue

Transported to liver where it is converted to pyruvate

This process requires oxygen

During exercise an oxygen debt is built up

Oxygen debt is the amount of oxygen owed to the liver to convert

accumulated lactic acid to pyruvate

Energy yield of fermentation

Produces only a net of 2 ATP per glucose through direct substrate

phosphorylation by allowing glycolysis to continue
Following fermentation most of the potential energy from glucose is still

waiting to be released
Fermentation is a way to continue an ATP supply to cells when oxygen is

in short supply

Metabolism

Catabolism-break down reactions

Carbohydrates-digested to glucose for cell respiration

Fats-digested to glycerol and fatty acids
Glycerol can enter glycolytic pathway
Fatty acids metabolized to acetyl CoA which enters citric acid cycle
Proteins- deamination
Amino acids can enter pathway at different points

Anabolism- synthesis reactions

Substrates of glycolysis and citric acid cycle can be substrates for

synthesis of macromolecules

G3P can be converted to glycerol

Acetyl groups can be converted to fatty acids

Some citric acid intermediates can be converted to amino acids

Anabolic reactions require the input of energy in the form of ATP

generated in catabolic reactions