0 7 . 1 The importance of complementary shapes of molecules in organisms [25 marks] Or 0 7 .

2 The importance of ions in metabolic processes [25 marks]

Plan

Action potential Voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels are vital,

the charge

Resting potential

Contracting muscles

Inhibiting a synapse

Correct balance of ions so there is a correct

pH

photosynthesis

Fe2 in haemoglobin This is added to the proteins quaternary

structure. This allows oxygen to bind to the
haemoglobin. Without Fe2 ions, oxygen
would not be able to bind to the haemoglobin
and be transported around the body. Without
this, the body would not be able to respire,
the individual would die.

respiration hydrogen ions are integral in chemiosmosis

into the innermembrane space, they then
diffuse down their conc. Gradient down atp
synthase -

An Ion is a charged molecule that is useful in many metabolic processes, particularly if a certain
charge or pH is required. This essay will detail some of the roles of specific ions and describe
how animals, plants and bacteria use them.

Ions are significant in maintaining an optimum pH for metabolic processes to occur, as they are
charged ions (e.g sodium is positive and chloride is negative). This is because many metabolic
processes use Enzymes, which have a specific tertiary structure that may be denatured by a
change in pH as, due to a change in charge bonds may be broke. This means that ions have to
be monitored carefully in areas of high enzyme activity e.g the mitochondria, to ensure that not
too many enter or exit a cell to maintain a stable pH for the metabolic processes to occur. Ions
are also useful not only in maintaining a pH but in chemiosmosis during Respiration.

Hydrogen ions are required in respiration (occuring in animals, plants and bacteria) during
chemiosmosis in order to produce ATP. This is because H+ ions are actively transported into
the intermembrane space, they diffuse down their concentration gradient through the enzyme
ATPsynthase, which aids the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP. Without H+ ions creating a
gradient and passing down the ATPsynthase enzyme, ATD would not be synthesised, thus no
energy for organisms to perform many functions, such as transport of some substances in
plants. Nevertheless, if it were not for Fe2+ (which is a part of haemoglobin) there would be no
oxygen for the organism to respire with - thus another example of the importance of ions in
metabolic processes

Fe2+ is added to haemoglobin in its tertiary structure and allows oxygen to bind to the protein.
Once bound, the haemoglobin transports oxygen around the body and, when the pH reaches a
certain level, releases the oxygen to respiring tissues. Thus Fe2+ ions enable oxygen to be
transported around the body, while the specific pH of the blood enables the oxygen to be
delivered to where it is needed, suggesting the importance of ions in metabolic processes.
Oxygen is then used in respiration which produces ATP, Plants also make ATP in an alternative
way (also making sugars), where excited electrons provide the energy for the process to occur.

During photoionisation, light energy is captured by photosynthetic pigments in the chloroplast.

The light energy is transferred to electrons, which raises their energy levels - the electron is said
to be excited- this leads to the electron entering the electron transfer chain. During this, the
electron passes down a series of photosystems (PSII and PSI), losing energy as they pass
down the chain. This lost energy provides energy for the H+ ions (mentioned previously) to be
pumped out of the membrane. Thus, in the electron transfer chain, electrons (an ion) are
essential to the metabolic process as they provide the energy for H+ ions to be pumped out of
the membrane, enabling oxidative phosphorylation. As well as providing energy needed for
organisms to respire and photosynthesis, ions are also integral in generating an action potential
e.g in a human, as the change in ion distribution can stimulate an action potential.

An action potential is stimulated when the charge of the neuron is depolarised to beyond -55mv.
This is controlled by voltage-gated sodium ion channels in the axon, when an impulse reaches
the dendrites of a neuron, Na+ ion channels open, beginning the depolarisation of the cell from -
70mv, as the charge of the neuron increases, more sodium ion channels open, allowing more
sodium ions to enter increasing the positive charge. Once the charge hits -55mv an action
potential is increased as it passes down to the synapse. Ions are important in stimulating an
action potential but they are also important in translating this action potential across synapses
(e.g cholinergic synapses), due to the role of Ca+ ions.

Once an action potential is stimulated in a neuron, Ca+ channels in the pre-synaptic knob open
and Ca+ diffuse into the neuron. The Ca+ ions stimulate vesicles containing acetylcholine to
fuse with the presynaptic membrane, they diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to sodium
ion channels on the postsynaptic membrane - this enables the action potential to be stimulated
in the next neuron. Thus ions are significant in stimulating an action potential in a neuron and
then translating this electrical signal across a synapse. Ca+ ions are also important in muscle
contraction

Before a muscle contracts, it is covered by tropomyosin, meaning that the myosin head is
unable to bind to the actin filament, however Ca+ ions enable the myosin to bind. Once an
electrical impulse has been sent to the muscle, Ca+ ions are released into the sarcoplasm,
binding to troponin, which causes the tropomyosin to change shape. This then enables the
myosin head to attach to the actin binding site - once bound, the myosin head cocks, pulling the
actin filament with it = the muscle contracts. Thus without Ca+ ions, the actin binding sites
would still be covered, meaning that muscles would not be able to contract, this would be
significant in motile organisms, especially insects such as grasshoppers who contract their
abdomin muscles to increase the uptake of oxygen (required for respiration).
Additionally, chloride ions can inhibit the stimulation of an action potential or a muscle. This is
because in certain neurons, Cl- ion channels are stimulated. This can lead to the
hyperpolarisation of the neuron to -80mv. The hyperpolarization makes it harder for an action
potential to be stimulated, inhibiting some metabolic processes

Thus, in summary, ions are integral in metabolic processes in many organisms, due to being
charged, they have the ability to change the pH to optimum conditions for enzyme use, while
they are also important in respiration in eukaryotes and bacteria as well as photosynthesis in
organisms such as oak trees. Furthermore, they are useful in stimulating an action potential,
enabling messages to be relayed from receptors to the brain, as well as stimulating the
contraction of muscles as a response to a stimulus