Bioenergetics: Raymond Oliver A. Cruz

BIOENERGETICS
Raymond Oliver A. Cruz

WHAT IS BIOENERGETICS?
 Also called biological thermodynamics

(Greek: bios = life and logikos = reason +
Greek: thermos = heat and dynamics =
power)
 Bioenergetics is the study of energy
transformation in the biological sciences
 More definitively, biological thermodynamics
may be defined as the quantitative study of
the energy transductions that occur in and
between living organisms, structures, and
cells and of the nature and function of the
chemical processes underlying these
transductions.
LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS
1. The total energy of a system, including its

surroundings, remains constant
2. The total entropy of a system must increase
if a process is to occur simultaneously
 Entropy is the extent of disorder or
randomness of the system and becomes
maximum as equilibrium is approached
Change in free energy in biologic
systems
 Results in the ability to do work at constant

temperature and pressure
DG=DH-TDS
where DG is the change in free energy
DH is the change in enthalpy (heat)
DS is the change in entropy
T is the absolute temperature in degrees
Kelvin
 If DG is negative, the reaction proceeds
spontaneously with loss of free energy
(exergonic reaction)
 If DG is of great magnitude, the reaction goes
virtually to completion and is essentially
irreversible
 If DG is positive, the reaction proceeds only if
free energy can be gained (endergonic
reaction)
 If the magnitude of DG is great, the system is
stable, with little or no tendency for a reaction
to occur
ENDERGONIC PROCESSES PROCEED BY
COUPLING TO EXERGONIC PROCESSES
 Autotrophic organisms utilize simple
exergonic processes (plants), such as
obtaining energy from sunlight
 Heterotrophic organisms obtain free energy
by coupling their metabolism to the
breakdown of complex organic molecules in
the environment
3 sources of phosphate taking part
in energy conservation
 Oxidative phosphorylation (aerobic) –from

respiratory chain using molecular O2 in
mitochondria
 Glycolysis – 2 ATP formed from the formation
of lactate from glucose (no oxygen)
 Citric acid cycle – 1 ATP
THE ROLE OF ATP
 ATP or adenosine triphosphate plays a central role in
the transference of free energy from the exergonic to
the endergonic processes
High energy Ester

Acid anhydride bonds link
 The energy is released by cleaving either a
phosphate (Pi) or pyrophosphate (PPi) unit from ATP,
in hydrated conditions:
– ATP + H2O → ADP(hydrated) + Pi(hydrated) + H+

(hydrated)
– ΔG˚ = -30.54 kJ/mol (−7.3 kcal/mol)
– ATP + H2O → AMP(hydrated) + PPi(hydrated) + H+

(hydrated)
– ΔG˚ = -45.6 kJ/mol (−10.9 kcal/mol)
 The large release in energy makes the
decomposition of ATP in water extremely
exergonic, and hence useful as a means for
chemically storing energy
Standard Free Energy of Hydrolysis of Some
Organophosphates of Biochemical
Importance
Compound kJ/mol kcal/mol

Phosphoenolpyruvate -61.9 -14.8
Carbamoyl phosphate -51.4 -12.3
1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (to 3-phosphoglycerate) -49.3 -11.8
Creatine phosphate -43.1 -10.3
ATP AMP + PPi -32.2 -7.7
ATP ADP + Pi -30.5 -7.3
Glucose 1-phosphate -20.9 -5.0

PPi -19.2 -4.6
Fructose 6-phosphate -15.9 -3.8

Glucose 6-phosphate -13.8 -3.3
Glycerol 3-phosphate -9.2 -2.2
LOW ENERGY PHOSPHATES
 Ester phosphates found in the intermediates

of glycolysis
 Have G values lower than ATP
HIGH ENERGY PHOSPHATES
 Act as energy currency of the cell

 High-Energy Phosphates Are Designated
by ~ P
 The symbol ~ P indicates that the group
attached to the bond, on transfer to an
appropriate acceptor, results in transfer of
the larger quantity of free energy
ATP Allows the Coupling of
Thermodynamically Unfavorable
Reactions to Favorable Ones
 The phosphorylation of glucose to glucose 6-

phosphate, the first reaction of glycolysis is
highly endergonic and cannot proceed under
physiologic conditions.
 To take place, the first reaction must be
coupled with another—more exergonic—
reaction such as the hydrolysis of the
terminal phosphate of ATP.
 When (1) and (2) are coupled in a reaction
catalyzed by hexokinase, phosphorylation of
glucose readily proceeds in a highly
exergonic reaction that under physiologic
conditions is irreversible.
 Many "activation" reactions follow this
pattern.
 The intermediate location of ATP allows it to
play an important role in energy transfer
 When ATP is hydrolyzed to AMP, inorganic
pyrophosphate (PPi) is produced. This
occurs in the activation of long-chain fatty
acids
Other Nucleoside Triphosphates
Participate in the Transfer of High-
Energy Phosphate
By means of the enzyme nucleoside

diphosphate kinase, UTP, GTP, and
CTP can be synthesized from their
diphosphates
All of these triphosphates take part in

phosphorylations in the cell.
Helpful site
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=P2WD9jFePwo

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BIOENERGETICS

Raymond Oliver A. Cruz

 Also called biological thermodynamics

1. The total energy of a system, including its

 Results in the ability to do work at constant

 Oxidative phosphorylation (aerobic) –from

High energy Ester

– ATP + H2O → ADP(hydrated) + Pi(hydrated) + H+

– ATP + H2O → AMP(hydrated) + PPi(hydrated) + H+

Compound kJ/mol kcal/mol

ATP ADP + Pi -30.5 -7.3

Glucose 1-phosphate -20.9 -5.0

Fructose 6-phosphate -15.9 -3.8

 Ester phosphates found in the intermediates

 Act as energy currency of the cell

 The phosphorylation of glucose to glucose 6-

By means of the enzyme nucleoside

All of these triphosphates take part in

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