Cellular Respiration
By C. Kohn
Agricultural Sciences
In a nutshell…
O Cellular Respiration is a series of chemical reactions in
which hydrogen atoms on a glucose molecule are
removed so that they can be used to turn ATP Synthase
proteins and power the production of ATP (the source of
energy for cellular activity).
O Key points of Cellular Respiration:
O Hydrogen atoms are
removed from glucose
O Those hydrogen
atoms are used
to turn ATP Synthase
O ATP Synthase makes ATP from ADP
and Pi every time it turns
O Glucose is the simplest carbohydrate
O A carbohydrate is an organic
molecule that contains carbon,
oxygen, and hydrogen
(note: carb-o-hydr-ate).
O Examples include sugars, starches,
fibers, and cellulose
O Glucose is NOT used to power cellular activities.
O Instead, the hydrogen atoms on glucose are used to power the
production of cellular energy
Glucose is the way in which living organisms get hydrogen into
their mitochondria
Those hydrogen atoms are
used to turn ATP Synthase.
ATP Synthase is the
protein that produces
ATP powers cellular activity
O All carbohydrates are made of chains
of glucose.
O The longer the chain of glucose,
the more difficult the carbohydrate
is to break apart and digest.
O E.g. simple sugars break down easily
in our bodies because they are very
short chains of glucose
O Fibers break down very slowly because
they are very long chains of glucose.
O All carbohydrates must be broken down into individual glucose
molecules when we consume them.
O It is necessary to break carbohydrates into individual glucose
molecules so that they can be absorbed into the bloodstream
O A starch or fiber would be way too big to be absorbed across the
lining of the intestines and through the membrane of a cell.
In the cell…
O Once absorbed into the bloodstream, cells absorb the glucose from
the blood across their cell membrane and into their cytosol.
O The breakdown of sugar and the process of cellular respiration begins
in the cytosol of a cell.
O When a glucose molecule is absorbed by a cell, it is broken down
over a series of steps that each occur in different places. These
places include:
O The cytosol: the “jelly filling” of the cell that surrounds the organelles
O Glucose is split in half in the cytosol to form 2 pyruvate molecules.
O The matrix of the mitochondria: this is the innermost middle of the
O This is where the pyruvate molecules are completely broken down
Outer membrane
 Intermembrane Space
Inner membrane
 Matrix (innermost middle)
Inside the cell (cont.)
O The intermembrane space of the mitochondria: this is the
space between the inner and outer membrane of the
O The hydrogen atoms that were taken from glucose are
crammed in here so that they can turn ATP Synthase.
O The inner membrane of the mitochondria: this is where we
would find ATP Synthase.
O To get out of the intermembrane space, H+ atoms must pass
through ATP Synthase proteins, causing them to turn and
make ATP.
Outer membrane
 Intermembrane Space
Inner membrane
 Matrix
Mitochondrial Outer
Space (w/ Hydrogen
Mitochondrial Inner
As hydrogen moves past ATP Synthase, it causes it to turn. As
ATP Synthase turns, it makes ATP from ADP and Pi.
Mitochondrial Matrix
Cellular Respiration
O The main point of cellular respiration is to obtain hydrogen
atoms in order to power ATP Synthase.
O These H+ atoms primarily come from glucose
(although fat and other components of food can be used as a source of hydrogen as well).
O A series of multiple
chemical reactions
are necessary to break
down glucose in
order to remove the
hydrogen atoms.
O The process of cellular
respiration can be broken
into four basic steps
O Each step consists of
multiple chemical reactions
Steps of Cellular Respiration
O 1. Glycolysis: glucose is split in half to become 2 pyruvates.
This occurs in the cytosol. Some hydrogen is removed.
2 ATP are used, but 4 are produced via Substrate-level
O 2. TCA Cycle: Pyruvates move from the cytosol into the
matrix (innermost middle) of the mitochondria. The
remaining hydrogen is all removed during the TCA Cycle.
O 3. Electron Transport System: the hydrogen atoms that
were removed from glucose are moved into the
intermembrane space of the mitochondria.
O 4. Oxidative phosphorylation: the hydrogen is used to turn
ATP Synthase so that ATP can be produced from ADP and Pi
Step 1: Glycolysis
O Glycolysis: glucose (C6H12O6) becomes 2 pyruvates
(C3H4O3) and 4 H+ atoms
O ATP transfers energy on a phosphate to split glucose in half.
O Note: only carbons are shown in the image below to simplify it
O It takes energy to break apart a glucose molecule:
2 ATP molecules to be exact.
O However, we do
get 4 ATP back eventually
O Glycolysis has a final gain
of 2 ATP
(-2+4 = +2)
O ATP is re-created in Glycolysis
using Substrate Level
Phosphorylation (next slide)
Substrate Level Phosphorylation
O ATP production during Glycolysis is slightly different than in the
rest of the stages.
O Instead of using ATP Synthase to produce ATP, ATP is produced
by an “exchange” kind of chemical reaction.
O Production of ATP using an enzyme
reaction to transfer a phosphate to ADP
is called Substrate Level Phosphorylation.
O To “phosphorylate” means to add a phosphate
O In glycolysis in the cytosol, an enzyme
moves the phosphate from the halved
glucose onto the ADP .
O This is different than what occurs later in
the mitochondria, where the phosphate
(Pi) must be added by the “turning
wheel” of ATP Synthase.
Substrate Level Phosphorylation
Click your
mouse to start
Note: this all occurs in the cytosol before
entering the mitochondria
This process will happen
the enzyme
is split
is in
This more.
“half” of
half bya ATP,
on half
its 2twice
of the
half” to ADPmolecules
to make
with an molecule,
ADP molecule.
(Pi) in this
total are ATP.
to see)per half
(2to ATP
of glucose).
Step 2: TCA Cycle
O TCA Cycle: The pyruvate molecules get completely broken down.
O The 2 pyruvate molecules were formed when glucose was split in half.
O The 2 pyruvate molecules leave the cytosol and enter the matrix (the
innermost middle) of the mitochondria.
O H+ atoms are taken off of the disassembled glucose molecule by
NAD+ and FAD+ at different points of the TCA Cycle.
O NAD+ and FAD+ are sort of like
molecular pickup trucks for hydrogen.
O When NAD+ and FAD+ pick up a hydrogen,
they become NADH and FADH2.
O During glycolysis and the TCA cycle,
6 CO2 will be produced.
O These are made from the six original
carbons on glucose (C6H12O6)
Step 3: The Electron Transport System
O Electron Transport System: H+ is moved from the
matrix to the intermembrane space.
O The inner membrane of the mitochondria has special
proteins that get hydrogen from NAD+ and FAD+ in the
matrix and cram it into the intermembrane space.
O These proteins are
powered by electrons
taken from the
glucose molecule.
O These electrons
were removed
from glucose
during glycolysis
and the TCA cycle.
Step 4: Oxidative Phosphorylation
O Oxidative Phosphorylation: H+ is used to turn ATP
Synthase, powering ATP production
O The H+ atoms are crammed into the intermembrane
space – they want to get out!
O The only way out of the intermembrane space is
through ATP Synthase (like a revolving door)
O As hydrogen atoms move
past ATP Synthase, they
turn it, powering the
production of ATP from
ADP and Pi
Step 4: Oxidative Phosphorylation
O “Phosphorylation” means to get a phosphorus atom
O ADP is phosphorylated to become ATP – ADP gains a Pi
O E.g. “education” is the process of getting educated
O For every H+ delivered by NAD+ and FAD+ 3 ATPs are created
O After hydrogen atoms move
past the ATP Synthase, they
enter the matrix.
O Here, H+ atoms must be picked
up by an oxygen atom.
O This is the “oxidative” part.
O When two hydrogen atoms bond
to an oxygen atom, they form
H2O (water).
Oxidative Vs. Substrate Level
O During glycolysis in the cytosol, ATP is formed by
Substrate Level Phosphorylation
O In this case, ATP is created by an enzyme that
“transfers” an inorganic phosphate (Pi) from the halved
glucose onto ADP.
O In the mitochondria, ATP is formed by oxidative
phosphorylation (when ATP Synthase protein powered
by the H+ from glucose makes ATP).
O In oxidative phosphorylation, H+ moving through ATP
Synthase turns a “wheel” that smashes an inorganic
phosphate (Pi) onto an ADP to make ATP.
‘Clogged’ ATP Synthase
O If hydrogen wasn’t removed from the matrix by oxygen, it would
“clog” ATP Synthase.
O This would slow and eventually stop ATP Synthase from turning.
O If ATP Synthase doesn’t turn, ATP isn’t produced.
O If ATP isn’t produced, most cells will eventually shut down
because they won’t have enough ATP to power cellular activity.
O Exception: cells that can produce ATP by fermentation.
O The lower the concentration of hydrogen in the matrix, the faster
ATP Synthase turns and the faster ATP is produced.
O More oxygen in the matrix means faster H+ removal
O This is why you breathe more heavily
during exercise than at rest
O During exercise, you need more oxygen
to remove more H+ to turn ATP Synthase
faster to make ATP more quickly
O In agriculture, plants & animals that can
produce more ATP will produce more food.
What if there is no oxygen?
O As long as there is oxygen present, it will bind to the hydrogen in the
matrix (innermost middle) of the mitochondria.
O Oxygen will continue to go to the matrix to bind with H+ to form water
and leave the mitochondria.
O Oxidative Phosphorylation produces 36-38 ATP.
O However, if there is no oxygen, Oxidative Phosphorylation cannot
occur and ATP cannot be made by ATP Synthase in the
O ATP can be made by Substrate-level Phosphorylation in the cytosol.
O However, this kind of phosphorylation only produces 2 net ATP.
O This occurs in humans for short periods when not enough oxygen is
available (such as when you are sprinting).
O It also occurs in some microorganisms when they ferment.
O Fermentation – the breakdown of glucose into ethanol to produce small
amounts of ATP in the absence of oxygen.
O Energy does remain in the ethanol that is excreted.
In a nutshell…
O Five ways to maximize Mitochondrial ATP Production
(Note: max ATP = max food production by plants &
1. Maximize H+ in the intermembrane space
2. Minimize H+ in the matrix.
3. Maximize O2 in
the matrix
4. Maximize the
number of ATP
5. Maximize the
number of total
mitochondria in
an organism’s cells.
Summary of Cellular Respiration
Glucose is consumed, enters the bloodstream, and
is absorbed by cells
O Glucose is absorbed by cells because higher concentrations
are found in the blood than inside the cells.
Glucose enters the cytosol of the cell and is broken
in half into 2 pyruvates
O ATP is produced by substrate-level phosphorylation
The pyruvate molecules enter the matrix (innermost
middle) of the mitochondria and are broken down
in a series of steps so that hydrogen can be
O A total of 6 CO2 molecules are released during cellular
respiration (from the original 6 carbons)
Summary of Cellular Respiration
As glucose is broken down completely, NAD+ and FAD+
collect hydrogen atoms (like a molecular pickup truck)
The hydrogens are brought to the inner membrane of
the mitochondria; there they are crammed into the
intermembrane space by protein pumps
O The protein pumps are powered by the electrons taken from the
glucose molecule.
The hydrogen atoms that are crammed in the
intermembrane space want to leave; the only way out is
through ATP Synthase.
As H+ atoms move through ATP Synthase, they turn the
“revolving door”; when ATP Synthase turns, it makes ATP
O With each H+ atom, 2-3 ATPs are created from ADP and Pi
Review Concepts
O Parts of the mitochondria and where each step of
respiration occurs in the cytosol/mitochondria.
Differences and similarities between substrate-level
phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation.
Roles of glucose, pyruvate, NAD+/FAD+, the TCA
cycle, the Electron Transport System, hydrogen, ATP
Synthase, and oxygen.
5 ways to increase ATP production
Summary of the 4 steps of respiration: glycolysis, TCA
cycle, Electron Transport System, and Oxidative

similar documents