Energy and Metabolism

Chapter 4
Part 1

4.1 Impacts/Issues
A Toast to Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Metabolic processes break down organic
molecules such as ethanol and other toxins
binge drinking is currently the most serious drug
problem on college campuses

Video: Alcohol, enzymes, and your liver

Fig. 4-1a, p. 62

alcohol dehydrogenase

Fig. 4-1b, p. 62

Video: ABC News: The wine of life

4.2 Life Runs on Energy

Energy
The capacity to do work

Energy can be converted from one form to

another, but cannot be created or destroyed
energy disperses spontaneously

Laws of Thermodynamics
First law of thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created or destroyed
It can be converted from one form to another and
thus transferred between objects or systems

Second law of thermodynamics

Energy tends to disperse spontaneously
A bit disperses at each energy transfer, usually in
the form of heat

One-Way Flow of Energy

Living things maintain their organization by

harvesting energy from someplace else

Energy flows in one direction through the

biosphere (starting mainly from the sun) then
into and out of ecosystems

Material Recycle

Energy inputs drive a cycling of materials among

producers and consumers

Producers and then consumers use energy to

assemble, rearrange, and break down organic
molecules that cycle among organisms
throughout ecosystems

One-Way Flow of Energy

ENERGY IN
Light energy radiating from
the sun reaches Earth.
Producers capture some of
it by converting it to
chemical energy. They and
all other organisms use
chemical energy to drive
cellular work.
PRODUCERS
plants and other selffeeding organisms

nutrient
cycling

CONSUMERS
animals, most fungi,
many protists, bacteria

ENERGY OUT

With each conversion, there is a oneway ow of a bit of energy back to the

environment, mainly in the form of heat.
Fig. 4-2, p. 63

Active Figure: Matter recycling and

energy flow

Animation: One-way energy flow and

materials cycling

4.3 Energy in the Molecules of Life

Cells store and retrieve energy by making and

breaking chemical bonds in metabolic reactions

Some reactions require a net input of energy

others end with a net release of energy

Chemical Reactions
Reaction
Process of chemical change

Reactant
Molecule that enters a reaction

Product
A molecule remaining at the end of a reaction

A Chemical Reaction

Reactants
2 H2
(hydrogen)

O2
(oxygen)

4 hydrogen atoms
+ 2 oxygen atoms

Products
2 H2O
(water)

4 hydrogen atoms
+ 2 oxygen atoms

p. 64

Energy Inputs and Outputs

in Chemical Reactions

Chemical bonds hold energy the amount

depends on which elements take part in the bond

Cells store energy in chemical bonds by running

energy-requiring reactions, and access energy by
running energy-releasing reactions

Energy Inputs and Outputs

in Chemical Reactions

Energy

2 H2 + O2

energy out
energy in

2 H2O

Fig. 4-3, p. 64

Why the World Doesnt Go Up in Flames

Molecules of life release energy when combined

with oxygen but not spontaneously energy is
required to start even energy-releasing reactions
Activation energy
Minimum amount of energy required to start a
reaction

Activation Energy

Reactants:
2 H2 + O2

Energy

Activation energy

Difference in
energy between
reactants and products

Products: 2 H2O

Time
Fig. 4-4, p. 65

Reactants:
2 H2 + O2

Energy

Activation energy

Difference in
energy between
reactants and products

Products: 2 H2O

Time
Stepped Art
Fig. 4-4, p. 65

Animation: Chemical equilibrium

ATP The Cells Energy Currency

Energy carriers accept energy from energyreleasing reactions and deliver energy to
energy-requiring reactions
ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
Main energy carrier between reaction sites in
cells

Phosphorylation
Phosphate-group transfers (phosphorylation)
to and from ATP couple energy-releasing
reactions with energy-requiring ones

ATP forms in energyrequiring reactions

ATP drives energyrequiring reactions

ADP + phosphate

p. 65

ATP: The Energy Currency of Cells

adenine
three phosphate
groups

ribose

adenine
ribose

AMP
P

ADP
P

ATP
P
Fig. 4-5, p. 65

Animation: Structure of ATP

Animation: Activation energy

Animation: Energy changes in chemical

work

Animation: Total energy remains

constant

4.4 How Enzymes Work

Enzymes make chemical reactions proceed

much faster than they would on their own

Enzyme
Protein or RNA that speeds a reaction without
being changed by it

Substrates

An enzymes particular substrates bind at its

active site

Substrate
A reactant molecule that is specifically acted upon
by an enzyme

Active Sites

Active site
Pocket in an enzyme where substrates bind and
a reaction occurs

active site

enzyme

reactant(s)

product(s)

p. 66

Factors That Influence Enzyme Activity

Each enzyme works best within a characteristic

range of temperature, pH, and salt concentration

When conditions break hydrogen bonds, an

enzyme changes its characteristic shape
(denatures), and stops working

Enzymes, Temperature, and pH

Fig. 4-6a, p. 66

Enzyme activity

normal
tyrosinase

temperaturesensitive
tyrosinase

20C (68F)
A

30C
(86F)
Temperature

40C
(104F)
Fig. 4-6a, p. 66

Fig. 4-6b, p. 66

glycogen
phosphorylase

Enzyme activity

trypsin

pepsin

1
B

10

11

pH

Fig. 4-6b, p. 66

Cofactors and Coenzymes

Cofactor
A metal ion or a coenzyme that associates with
an enzyme and is necessary for its function

Coenzyme
An organic cofactor
Unlike enzymes, may be modified by a reaction

Organized, Enzyme-Mediated Reactions

Cells concentrate, convert, and dispose of most

substances in enzyme-mediated reaction
sequences
Metabolic pathway
Series of enzyme-mediated reactions by which
cells build, remodel, or break down an organic
molecule

Linear and Cyclic Metabolic Pathways

Control of Metabolic Pathways

Various controls over enzymes allow cells to

conserve energy and resources by producing
only what they require
Concentrations of reactants and products
Feedback inhibition
Allosteric sites

Control of Metabolic Pathways

Feedback inhibition
Mechanism by which a change that results from
some activity decreases or stops the activity

Allosteric site
A region of an enzyme, other than the active site,
that can bind regulatory molecules

Feedback Inhibition

Stepped Art
Fig. 4-7, p. 67

Animation: Feedback inhibition

Allosteric Sites

regulatory
molecules

substrate in
active site

active site

A inactive form

B active form
Fig. 4-8, p. 67

Animation: Allosteric activation

Animation: Allosteric inhibition

Electron Transfers

Electron transfer chains allow cells to harvest

energy in manageable increments

Electron transfer chain

An array of membrane-bound enzymes and other
molecules that accept and give up electrons in
sequence

Uncontrolled and Controlled

Energy Release

1 Energy input splits glucose

into carbon dioxide, electrons,
and hydrogen ions (H+).
2 Electrons lose energy as
they move through an electron
transfer chain.

carbon dioxide
glucose
+
oxygen

carbon dioxide glucose

+
water
oxygen H+

spark

3 Energy released by electrons

is harnessed for cellular work.
e
water

A Glucose and oxygen

react (burn) when exposed
to a spark. Energy is
released all at once as light
and heat when CO2 and
water form.

4 Electrons, hydrogen ions, and

oxygen combine to form water.

B The same overall reaction

occurs in small steps with an
electron transfer chain. Energy
is released in amounts that
cells can harness for cellular
work.

Fig. 4-9, p. 68

1 Energy input splits glucose

into carbon dioxide, electrons,
and hydrogen ions (H+).
2 Electrons lose energy as
they move through an electron
transfer chain.

carbon dioxide
glucose
+
oxygen

carbon dioxide glucose

+
water
oxygen H+

spark

3 Energy released by electrons

is harnessed for cellular work.
e
water

A Glucose and oxygen

react (burn) when exposed
to a spark. Energy is
released all at once as light
and heat when CO2 and
water form.

4 Electrons, hydrogen ions, and

oxygen combine to form water.

B The same overall reaction

occurs in small steps with an
electron transfer chain. Energy
is released in amounts that
cells can harness for cellular
work.
Stepped Art
Fig. 4-9, p. 68

Animation: Controlling energy release

Animation: Enzymes and their role in

lowering activation energy

Animation: Enzymes and temperature

Animation: How catalase works

Animation: Induced fit model

Video: Diffusion of dye in water