Textbook Question
What supplies the energy to drive oxidative phosphorylation?
Ch.21 The Generation of Biochemical Energy
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134015187
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 Matter and Measurements27
- Ch.2 Atoms and the Periodic Table20
- Ch.3 Ionic Compounds8
- Ch.4 Molecular Compounds23
- Ch.5 Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions12
- Ch.6 Chemical Reactions: Mole and Mass Relationships28
- Ch.7 Chemical Reactions: Energy, Rate and Equilibrium64
- Ch.8 Gases, Liquids and Solids24
- Ch.9 Solutions52
- Ch.10 Acids and Bases25
- Ch.11 Nuclear Chemistry22
- Ch.12 Introduction to Organic Chemistry: Alkanes57
- Ch.13 Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds47
- Ch.14 Some Compounds with Oxygen, Sulfur, or a Halogen50
- Ch.15 Aldehydes and Ketones45
- Ch.16 Amines42
- Ch.17 Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives57
- Ch.18 Amino Acids and Proteins82
- Ch.19 Enzymes and Vitamins63
- Ch.20 Carbohydrates44
- Ch.21 The Generation of Biochemical Energy65
- Ch.22 Carbohydrate Metabolism45
- Ch.23 Lipids42
- Ch.24 Lipid Metabolism33
- Ch.25 Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism24
- Ch.26 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis45
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134015187Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 21, Problem 80
We talk of burning food in a combustion process, producing CO2 and H2O from food and O2. Explain how O2 is involved in the process although no O2 is directly involved in the citric acid cycle.
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Understand the context: The citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) is a central metabolic pathway that generates energy by oxidizing acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. While O₂ is not directly involved in the reactions of the citric acid cycle, it plays a crucial role in the overall process of cellular respiration.
Explain the role of O₂ in cellular respiration: O₂ is the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, which is the stage of cellular respiration that follows the citric acid cycle. The electron transport chain is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and is responsible for producing the majority of ATP (energy) in cells.
Connect the citric acid cycle to the electron transport chain: The citric acid cycle produces reduced coenzymes, specifically NADH and FADH₂, which carry high-energy electrons to the electron transport chain. These electrons are passed through a series of protein complexes, ultimately reducing O₂ to form H₂O.
Highlight the importance of O₂: Without O₂ to act as the final electron acceptor, the electron transport chain would cease to function. This would lead to a buildup of NADH and FADH₂, preventing the citric acid cycle from continuing because it relies on the availability of oxidized forms of these coenzymes (NAD⁺ and FAD).
Summarize the connection: Although O₂ is not directly involved in the chemical reactions of the citric acid cycle, it is essential for maintaining the flow of electrons in the electron transport chain. This ensures the regeneration of NAD⁺ and FAD, which are necessary for the citric acid cycle to proceed and for the cell to produce energy efficiently.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Combustion Process
The combustion process refers to the chemical reaction where a substance, typically organic matter like food, reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and water (H₂O). In biological systems, this process is analogous to cellular respiration, where glucose is oxidized to release energy, highlighting the role of O₂ as a crucial reactant in energy production.
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Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that converts biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), with byproducts of CO₂ and H₂O. It consists of several stages, including glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, where O₂ is essential for the final stage, allowing for the efficient production of ATP through the electron transport chain.
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Citric Acid Cycle
The citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, is a series of enzymatic reactions that occur in the mitochondria, where acetyl-CoA is oxidized to produce electron carriers (NADH and FADH₂) and CO₂. Although O₂ is not directly involved in this cycle, it is critical for the subsequent oxidative phosphorylation stage, where the electron carriers donate electrons to the electron transport chain, ultimately requiring O₂ to regenerate ATP.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
With what class of enzymes are the coenzymes NAD+ and FAD associated?
Textbook Question
The citric acid cycle contains four 4-carbon dicarboxylic acids.
a. Name them.
Textbook Question
Why must the breakdown of molecules for energy in the body occur in several steps, rather than in one step?
Textbook Question
The mitochondrion pumps H+ from the matrix into the intermembrane space. Which region is more acidic, the matrix or the intermembrane space? Why?
Textbook Question
If you use a flame to burn a pile of glucose completely to give carbon dioxide and water, the overall reaction is identical to the metabolic oxidation of glucose. Explain the differences in the fate of the energy released in each case.