Exam 2 Lecture 4 Flashcards
All living systems
require an ongoing
supply of
energy
energy can be thought of as
the capacity to
cause specific chemical
or physical changes
Cells Need Energy to Drive 6 Different Kinds of
Work which are
- Synthetic work
- Mechanical work
- Concentration work
- Electrical work
- Generation of heat
- Generation of lig
synthetic work
changes in chemical Bonds
formation of Bonds
biosynthesis
The work of biosynthesis
results in the formation of new
chemical bonds and the
synthesis of new molecules
Biosynthesis is required for
growth and maintenance of
cells and cellular structures
Energy that cells require for
biosynthetic work is used to
make energy-rich organic
molecules and incorporate them
into macromolecules
Mechanical Work
Changes in the Location or
Orientation of a Cell or a Subcellular Structure
Mechanical work involves a
physical change in the position
or orientation of a cell or some
part of it
The movement of a cell relative
to its environment often requires
one or more appendages, such
as cilia or flagella
These require energy to move
the cell
Examples of mechanical work
A large number of muscle cells work together in
muscle contraction
Chromosomes move along spindle fibers during
mitosis
Cytoplasmic streaming and movement of
organelles and vesicles along microtubules occur
Ribosomes move along a strand of mRNA
Concentration Work
Concentration work accumulates substances within a cell or
organelle or removes toxic by-products of cellular activity
Examples include the concentration of specific molecules and
enzymes in organelles, digestive enzymes in secretory
vesicles, and the import of sugars and amino acids into cells
Electrical Work
Moving Ions Across a
Membrane Against an Electrochemical Gradient
During electrical work, ions are transported across a
membrane, resulting in differences in both concentration and
electrical potential (or membrane potential)
Every cellular membrane has a characteristic electrical potential
In the case of mitochondria or chloroplasts, the difference is
essential in production of AT
Electrical work in Neurotransmission
Electrical work is important in transmission of nerve
impulses
In this case, a membrane potential is generated by
pumping Na + ions into and K + ions out of the cell
The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) uses
energy to generate a membrane potential of 150
mV per cell and several hundred volts for the entire
organism
heat
an increase in temperature that is useful to warm-blooded Animals
Living organisms do not use heat as a form of energy as a steam engine does
However, producing heat is a major use of energy in all
homeotherms
Homeotherms: animals that
regulate their body temperature
independent of the environment
Homeotherms:
animals that
regulate their body temperature
independent of the environment
Bioluminescence
the production of Light
Bioluminescence, the
production of light, is important
in a number of organisms, such
as fireflies, certain jellyfish, and
luminous toadstools
Bioluminescence is generated
by the reaction of ATP with
luminescent compounds
Green fluorescent protein (GFP;
from the jellyfish Aequorea
victoria) and its variants are
very useful to cell biologists
Nearly all life on Earth is directly or indirectly
sustained from
sunlight
phototroph
capture light energy from the sun and
transform it into chemical energy, stored as ATP
chemotrophs
obtain energy by oxidizing chemical
bonds in molecules (organic or inorganic)
Autotrophs
an organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide.
Heterotrophs
an organism deriving its nutritional requirements from complex organic substances.
Photoautotrophs
use solar energy to produce all the
carbon compounds they need from CO2
(photosynthesis)
Photoautotrophs include plants, algae,
cyanobacteria, and photosynthetic bacteria
photoheterotrophs
Some bacteria are photoheterotrophs, which harvest
solar energy for some cellular activities but rely on
intake of organic molecules as a source of carbon
chemoautotrophs
A few bacteria are chemoautotrophs, which oxidize
inorganic compounds such as H 2S, H2, or inorganic
ions for energy and use CO 2 as a carbon source
Chemoheterotrophs
ingest and use chemical
compounds (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) to
provide both energy and carbon for cellular needs
All animals, protozoa, fungi, and many bacteria
are chemoheterotrophs
Energy Flows
Through the Biosphere
Continuously
Oxidation
is the removal of
electrons from a substance,
usually hydrogen atoms (H +
plus one electron)
Oxidation reactions release
energy