(Chapter 9.1- 9.

4): Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Concept 9.1
catabolic pathways: metabolic pathways releasing energy by breaking down
complex molecules
Exergonic (releasing energy) reaction compounds = fuels
Using Enzymes, cells break down complex organic molecules (high potential
energy) simple waste products (lees energy)
Fermentation (catabolic): degradation of sugars/other organic fuels that occurs
w/o the use of O2
Aerobic Respiration (AR): uses O2 + organic fuel as a reactant, prokaryotes and
eukaryotes both carry out AR
Anaerobic Respiration is when some prokaryotes use substances other than O2 as
reactants
Cellular Respiration: both anaerobic and aerobic processes involved, oxygen is
breathed in hence the name origination
o Organic Compounds + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
o C6 H12 O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O +Energy (ATP + heat)
Fermentation (yields few ATP)
Aerobic Respiration (yields high ATP)
Anaerobic Respiration (2 molecules of ATP)
Exergonic: spontaneous or without input of energy (negative delta G)
Redox Reactions - Oxidation and Reduction: OIL RIG
o Redox: electron transfers
o Oxidation: loss of electrons from 1 substance
o Reduction: addition of electrons to another substance

o A reducing agent reduces other substances

and loses electrons; therefore, its oxidation state will increase.
o An oxidizing agent oxidizes other substances
and gains electrons therefore; its oxidation state will decrease.
o Ionic bonds transfer electrons completely but, in covalent bonds share
equally or less equally.

o Energy states of electrons changes when Hydrogen is transferred to

Oxygen
Energy Harvest via NAD+ and The ETC
o Glucose is broken down in a series of steps (each catalyzed by an enzyme).
o At key steps, electrons are stripped from glucose.
o Each electron travels w/ a proton (H atom).
o The hydrogen atoms (protons) are not transferred directly to O2 but passed
through an electron carrier, NAD+ (coenzyme).
o NAD+ is a good electron carrier b/c it can easily cycle between oxidized
(NAD+) and reduced(NADH) states.
o As an electron acceptor, NAD+ = oxidizing agent in CR
How does NAD+ trap electron from glucose and other organic molecules and food?
o Dehydrogenases and enzymes that remove a pair of H atoms (2 electrons and
2 protons) from the substrate (glucose) thereby oxidizing it.
o The enzyme delivers 2 electrons along with 1 proton to NAD+ (its coenzyme).
The other proton is released to surrounding solution.