Respiration

• Is a process that breaks down complex

carbon compounds into simpler molecules
and simultaneously generates ATP.

• ATPS are used to power other metabolic

processes.

C6H12O6 + O2 CO2 + H2O + ATP + Heat

 Respiration and
photosynthesis
In plants, photosynthesis
occurs in chloroplast, while
respiration occurs in
mitochondrion.
The breakdown of sugar to release energy can
occur with or without oxygen

Two types:
1. Aerobic respiration - requires oxygen as
the terminal electron acceptor.

2. Anaerobic – respiration without oxygen, often

called fermentation.
Three groups of organisms:

• Strictly aerobes or obligate aerobes –

e.g.plants, animals, human, some fungi and protists.
• Obligate anaerobes
e.g. Clostridium tetani and C.botulinum
• Facultative anaerobes or aerobes
e.g. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
ATP synthesis by substrate-
level phosphorylation and
oxidative phosphorylation
Three stages of aerobic respiration
1. Glycolysis – Embden-Meyerhoff Pathway
constitutes the major portion of
anaerobic respiration and is also the first
part of aerobic respiration.
 The Citric acid cycle
• Also called the citric acid cycle – one of
the intermediates is citrate, anion of
citric acid
• Kreb’s cycle- was carried out by Hans
Krebs
• Tricarboxylic acis cycle – several
intermediates are tricarboxylic acids
 The mitochondrial Electron
Transport Chain
• Chemiosmotic Phosphorylation
The steps that transport protons from
the matrix to the crista lumen, establishing
a proton/hydroxyl chemiosmotic gradient.
Products:
2 pyruvates
Four ATPs
2 NADH
Net ATP = 2 ATPs
 The Kreb’s Cycle

The Kreb’s cycle generates CO2, NADH,

FADH2, AND ATP
Electron Transport Chain and Oxidative
phosphorylation.
Substrates other than
glucose can be used in
respiration.
Fermentation: In the absence of oxygen,
pyruvate produced by glycolysis is converted
to ethanol or lactate.
Alcohol
fermentation Lactic acid fermentation
occurs in yeasts, occurs in animal muscle
most plant cells, cells, some fungi and
and some bacteria bacteria to make cheese
and yogurt
 Some commercial use of
fermentation: wine and beer.

Yeasts in the process of “budding”

or reproducing.
 Skunk cabbage- Lysichiton americanum

The electron transport chain can generate excess heat to produce “hot flowers”
“when alternative oxidase moves electrons from NADH to O2 without leading to
oxidative phosphorylation
 An Indonesian corpse
flower
(Amorphophallus titanum)
The heat evaporates
fragrant molecules from the
flowers, attracting
particular pollinating
organisms.