CELLULAR RESPIRATION

EXPLAINED
By Mr Barfoot

Glycolysis(lit. splitting of glucose)

Site:

In the cytoplasm

Important points: Can happen anaerobically

Consists of 3 types of reaction
Products are: 2 ATP (net), 2 Reduced NAD, 2 Pyruvate

Substrate level phosphorylation

Krebs Cycle (happens twice for each glucose molecule that enters
glycolysis)
Site: Mitochondrial matrix
Link reaction (conversion of
pyruvate into acetyl CoA)
Reduction in Carbon number
and therefore release of CO2
Production of hydrogen
carriers

Converted to ATP

Electron Transport Chain and oxidative phosphorylation

Site: Cristae on inner mitochondrial membrane (increase surface

area)

Features: Series of REDOX reactions whereby Hydrogen and/or electrons are

passed from one carrier to the next, moving downhill in energy terms
until they
reach oxygen which is reduced to water. At each transfer, energy is released which
is coupled to the formation of ATP (see
chemiosmosis)

Energy required to pump Hydrogen ions into the intermembrane space is

provided by the de-energizing of electrons as they move from one carrier to the
next. These Hydrogen ions then move passively back down an electro-chemical
gradient, through ATP-synthase. The energy released as they do this is coupled to
the phosphorylation of ADP.

Summary points
All steps are enzyme mediated, so any factors that affect enzyme
activity will affect rate of respiration. Some of the carriers in the
ETC can also be inhibited (eg cytochrome oxidase by cyanide or
carbon monoxide).
Remember the questions that ask you to suggest what would happen
ifa particular enzyme was inhibited
See hand out for overall energy budget of cell respiration.
This may not be achieved in practice because of hydrogen leakage
amongst other things.