Work Sheet 20

 

Introduction to Metabolism

1.      Define anabolism, catabolism, committed step, rate-limiting step and steady- state.

 

Anabolism: synthetic process.

Catabolism: degradative process.

Committed Step: the first reaction unique to a pathway.

Rate-Limiting Step: slowest reaction of the pathway, determines the rate of the pathway.

Steady-State: unidirectional flow of metabolites ---> concentration of metabolites that remains relatively constant until the system is perturbed.

 

2.      Explain the general types of metabolic regulation.

Enzyme Kinetics

Allosterism

Feedback Inhibition

Covalent Modification

Polymerization

Regulatory Proteins

Proteolytic Activation

Induction

 

3.      List the three energy storage forms and the five primary circulating fuels.

Three Energy Storage Forms:

glycogen (carbohydrates)

protein (amino acids)

triglycerides (fatty acids)

Five Circulating Fuels:

glucose

lactate

amino acids

free fatty acids

ketone bodies

Key Metabolic Intermediates ("crossroads" in metabolism):

glucose-6-phosphate

pyruvate

acetyl CoA

4.      Identify where specific biochemical processes occur in the cell.

The Nucleus: Control center of the cell, containing 95% of its DNA.

DNA replication and transcription of DNA into RNA.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER):

Aqueous region enclosed w/in the ER is the lumen.

Protein synthesis/export.

Many enzyme systems involved in the metabolism of lipids.

Golgi Apparatus: Protein modification/sorting/packaging/transport.

Mitochondria: Central role in energy transduction.

Oxidative energy metabolism.

Mitochondrial Matrix: The inner mitochondrial membrane and the matrix contain many of the enzymes involved in aerobic energy metabolism.

Thermodynamics in Metabolism

1.      List the general features and functions of ATP.

The energy of ATP is stored in two phosphoanhydride bonds-

between the g and b phosphates, -7.3 kcal/mol

between the b and a phosphates, -6.6 kcal/mol

removal of the a phosphate does not release energy

2.            Define high energy phosphate transfer potential and identify ATP, phosphocreatine , 1,3-            bisphosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate as high energy phosphorylated compounds.

The energy of ATP is stored in two phosphoanhydride bonds-

between the g and b phosphates, -7.3 kcal/mol

between the b and a phosphates, -6.6 kcal/mol

removal of the a phosphate does not release energy

phosphocreatine, -10.3 kcal/mol

1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, -11.8 kcal/mol (glycolysis)

phosphoenolpyruvate, -14.8 kcal/mol (glycolysis)

3.      Identify the various electron carriers.

Reductants (donate electrons): NADH, NADPH, FADH2

Oxidants (accept electrons): NAD+, NADP+, FAD

 

 

4.      Describe the significance of the adenylate kinase reaction in metabolic regulation.

The increase in AMP is what's important here......

Because AMP is an allosteric regulator that signals a low energy state in cells --------->

rise in AMP increases metabolism through pathways to restore energy (i.e. glycolysis).

 

© Sturm 2014