CELLULAR RESPIRATION

INTRODUCTION
• A set of metabolic reactions and processes that takes
place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical
energy from nutrients into ATP (adenosine
triphosphate)
Two Reactions Involved:
• CATABOLIC
• Breaks molecules into smaller ones releasing energy in the
process
• Counterpart – ANABOLIC reaction meaning building up
• EXOTHERMIC REDOX REACTION
• An oxidation – reduction reaction
• A type of chemical reaction that involves a transfer of
electrons between two species
• Any chemical reaction in which the oxidation number of a
molecule, atom, or ion changes by gaining or losing an
electron
AEROBIC PATHWAY
Three Stages:
• Glycolysis
• Kreb's Cycle
• Electron Transport Chain
Glycoysis
• The first stage
• It is a series of enzyme - controlled reactions
that occur inside the cytoplasm
• It does not require oxygen
• It begins by breaking down from food but only
produces a small amount of energy in the form
of ATP molecules
• 6-C glucose molecule is browken down to two 3-
C glucose molecules (G3P)
• Then, pyruvate (ionized pyruvic acid) molecules
will be formed
• Two ATP molecules will be released
• Some bonds holding the hydrogen atoms to the
glucose molecules are broken down and picked
up by NAD+ (nicotinamide dinucleotide).
• Enough hydrogen are released forming two
molecules of NADH.
• these are further transferred to a series of
electron - transfer reactions called electron
transport chain
• Thus, the generalized chemical reaction equation
is:
Glucose + 2 ATP + 2 NAD+ 4 ATP + 2 NADH + 2 pyruvate
Krebs Cycle
• It starts with the end product of glycolysis, the 3
- C pyruvate, and involves a series of enzyme -
controlled processes that occur inside the
mitochondrial matrix.
• Specific enzymes act on pyruvate and convert it
into 2 - C acetyle molecules
• Two atoms of hydrogen are attached to NAD+
forming NADH
• Reorganization of the remaining carbon and
oxygen atoms forming carbon dioxide
• While acetyle molecule is attached to coenzyme
- A (CoA), proceed to the next cycle and is
completely oxidized.
• 2 - C pyruvate fragment is further broken down
to individual carbon atoms by stripping off its
hydrogen while capturing high - energy
electrons.
• During these reactions, the remaining hydrogens
are removed from the pyruvic acid and their
electrons are carried by eectron carriers NAD+ to
form NADH.
• Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) picks up
electrons forming FADH2 for transport to the
electron - transport system.
• Krebs cycle must be perfomred twice to
complete the oxidation process.
• Krebs cycle equation will be:
Pyruvic acid + ADP + 4 NAD+ + FAD 3 CO2 + 4 NADH
+ FADH2 + ATP
• Product of Krebs cyle:
• 6 CO2, 8 NADH, 2 FADH, and 2 ATP molecules.
Electron Transport Chain
• Involves a series of enzyme - controlled reactions
that convert the kinetic energy present in
hydrogen electrons to energy (ATP).
• The energy carried by NADH and FADH2
molecules from glycolysis and Krebs cycle is used
to generate ATP.
CYTOCHROME - iron containing enzyme
molecules in the mitochondria
• Energy - rich electrons are transported from one
cytochrome to the next while energy is used to
pump hydrogen ions from one side of the
membrane to the other.
• This results to ahigher concetration of hydrogen
ions on one side (proton gradient builds up)
• A membrane channel will open
• Hydrogen ions will pass through
• Enzyme ATP synthase speeds up the formation
of ATP molecules
• A total of 32 ATP molecules are formed and
hydrogens are removed from glucose molecule.
• Hydrogen bonds to oxygen to form water.
6 O2 + 8 NADH + 4 FADH2 + 32 ADP 8 NAD+ + 4 FAD +
32 ATP + 12 H2O
• The net energy production from aerobic
respiration:
• Glycolysis: 2 ATP
• Krebs cycle: 2 ATP
• Electron Transport Chain: 32 ATP
• Total net energy prodcution: 36 ATP
Anaerobic Pathway
• It is used at some point to supply cells with
immediate energy source
• FERMENTATION - recycles materials needed for
glycolysis to continue but does not release any
useful energy.
• In this process, enzymes also speed up the
process of producing energy but does not
require oxygen
• Depending on the type of organism,
fermentation converts pyruvate into various end
products in the form of ethanol and carbon
dioxide or lactic acid.
 Glucose

Pyruvate

Aspergillus Saccharomyces Lactobacillus

lactic acid ethanol ethanol + CO2 carbon dioxide lactic acid

ethanol
Soy sauce

soy sauce yoghurt & cheese

beer wine bread
• The muscles also experience fermentation
during exercise and lactic acid builds up in
muscle cells. you will feel this when you exhaust
your legs and a feeling of burns comes resulting
in cramps.
Importance of fermentation:
• Earth would become oxygen poor
• Earth will be filled with undecomposed organic
matter.
The end!!!!!