Presented by:

JOHN IDERF D. LAGARDE, LPT, MAED

 ATP: The Cell’s Currency
Life processes require a constant
supply of energy.
Cells use energy that is stored in
the bonds of certain organic
molecules.
Adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) is a molecule that
transfers energy from the
breakdown of food molecules to
cell processes.
The mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell
and are the primary site for aerobic respiration, where
most ATP is produced.
 ATP: Structure
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the most
important biological molecule that supplies
energy to the cell.
 A molecule of ATP is composed of three
parts bonded together by “high energy”
bonds:
1. A nitrogenous base (adenine)
2. A sugar (ribose)
3. Three phosphate groups
(triphosphate)
Adenine
ATP
Ribose 3 Phosphate groups
Where does ATP come from?
ATP comes indirectly from the food that we
eat.
Molecules of carbohydrates (glucose) and
lipids are broken down through the process of
cellular respiration to produce ATP.
 ATP-ADP Cycle
The energy stored in ATP is released when a phosphate group is
removed from the molecule.
ATP has three phosphate groups, but the bond holding the third
phosphate groups is very easily broken.
 When the phosphate is removed, ATP becomes ADP—
adenosine diphosphate
A phosphate is released into the cytoplasm and energy is
released.
ADP is a lower energy molecule than ATP, but can be converted
to ATP by the addition of a phosphate group.

Steps in the ADP-ATP Cycle
To supply cells with energy, a “high energy” bond in ATP is
broken. ADP is formed and a phosphate is released back
into the cytoplasm.

ATP ADP + phosphate + energy

 Steps in the ADP-ATP Cycle
As the cell requires more energy, ADP becomes ATP
when a free phosphate attaches to the ADP molecule.
Then energy needed to create an ATP molecule is much
less than the amount of energy produced when the bond
is broken.

ADP + phosphate + energy ATP

 How do you “recharge” the battery?
ADP is continually converted to ATP by the addition of a phosphate
during the process of cellular respiration.
ATP carries much more energy than ADP.
 As the cell requires more energy, it uses energy from the breakdown
of food molecules to attach a free phosphate group to an ADP
molecule in order to make ATP.
ADP + phosphate + energy from breakdown of food molecules→ ATP
 When is ATP used?
ATP is consumed in the cell by energy-requiring processes and can
be generated by energy-releasing processes.
In this way ATP transfers energy between separate biochemical
reactions in the cell.
ATP is the main energy source for the majority of cellular functions.
This includes the production of organic molecules, including DNA
and, and proteins.
ATP also plays a critical role in the transport of organic molecules
across cell membranes, for example during exocytosis and
endocytosis
 Types of Reactions
Exergonic(energy-yielding)
Produces ATP
Ex. Cellular respiration
Endergonic (energy-
requiring) reactions
Requires ATP
Ex. Photosynthesis
 ATP VS ADP
ATP ADP
 ATP VS ADP
ATP ADP

Main energy source for the cell Contains Less energy

Contains 3 phosphate groups Contains 2 phosphate groups
(triphosphate) (diphosphate)