FIGURE 10.1 Plant Photosynthesis and Human Glucose Metabolism Synthesis of glucose in plants occurs in photosynthesis. Plants require radiant energy from the sun to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water. After ingestion of glucose from plants, the human body will use the energy contained within the chemical bonds of glucose molecules to provide what is necessary to synthesize adenosine triphos- phate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi
). ATP is the primary energy
currency used by cells to perform biological work such as skeletal muscle contraction. The diagram shows how the exergonic process of glucose metabolism (oxidation) in cellular respiration provides the energy required for ATP synthesis. Lipids and proteins (amino acids) also undergo oxidation to provide the necessary energy for ATP synthesis.
Photosynthesis in plants:
Cellular metabolism: 6CO2
+ 6H2 O C6 H12 O6 + 6O2 ADP + Pi C6 H12 O6 + 6O2
6CO2 Energy ATP
Energy for biologic work
+ 6H2
O
H+
No ATP synthesis
H2 H+
H+
OO2 H+
ETS NAD+ NADH ADP+Pi H+
H+ 1 Inner
ATP Synthase
ATP membrane
Outer
membrane
TCA Cycle
FIGURE 10.2 Simplified Mitochondrial Bioenergetics. In the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) (also called the Kreb’s cycle), oxidation reactions catalyzed by dehydrogenase enzymes result in the removal of hydrogen atoms from substrates by the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinu-
cleotide (NAD+) and fl avin adenine dinucleotide (FAD; not shown in diagram) resulting in the reduction of these molecules to NADH and FADH2. These reduced coenzymes, in turn, undergo oxidation in the electron transport system; electrons are passed between conjugate redox pairs in the respiratory chain to ultimately reduce oxygen to form water. These oxidation/reduction reactions cause protons to move from the mito- chondrial matrix across the inner mitochondrial membrane, resulting in the generation of a membrane potential and a pH gradient. As shown in scenario A, this energy is then used to drive the endergonic process of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis from adenosine diphosphate and inorganic phosphate as the hydrogen ions (protons) move back across the inner mitochondrial membrane by way of a specifi c conductance pathway associated with ATP synthase. If protons “leak” back into the matrix (inner portion of the mitochondrion) by conduction pathways not linked to ATP synthase shown by scenario B (eg, by uncoupling proteins found in highly thermogenic brown adipose tissue [BAT]), the coupling effi ciency of oxidation and phosphorylation is reduced, and more heat and fewer ATP molecules are synthesized relative to the amount of oxygen consumed.