BIOC 212

Metabolism
 Metabolism
Metabolism is a network of chemical reactions
carried out by living cells
Metabolites are small molecules that are
intermediates in the degradation or biosynthesis
of polymers
Anabolic reactions: synthesis of biomolecules
Catabolic reactions: degradation of biomolecules
to release smaller ones and energy
Amphibolic reactions: involved in both anabolic
and catabolic reactions.
 Catabolism Anabolism
Energy-yielding nutrients Cell macromolecules
Carbohydrates Polysaccharides, Lipids,
Fats, proteins Nucleic acids, proteins

NADH
ATP ATP
Catabolism ATP
(Oxidative, Chemical energy Anabolism
Exergonic) ATP ATP NADH (Reductive,
NADH Endergonic)

Energy-poor end Precursor molecules

products Amino acids, sugars, fatty
H2O , CO2 , NH2 acids, nitrogenous bases

Convergence of pathways: Divergence of pathways

Larger biomolecules

Building Blocks Pathways of

catabolism converge
to a few end products

Pathways of
anabolism diverge,
synthesising a variety
of biomolecules from
a limited set of
Common degradation precursor molecules;
products e.g. pryuvate can be
converted to hexoses
for polysaccharide
biosynthesis

Simple small end

products NH2 H2O CO2
 5 Common Themes in metabolism
1. Organisms or cells maintain specific internal
concentrations of inorganic ions, metabolites and
enzymes
2. Organisms extract energy from external sources to drive
energy-consuming reactions
3. Organisms grow and reproduce according to instructions
encoded in the genetic material
4. Organisms respond to environmental influences
5. Cells are not static, and cell components are continually
synthesized and degraded (i.e. undergo turnover)
 A sequence of reactions that has a specific purpose (for
instance: degradation of glucose, synthesis of fatty acids) is
called metabolic pathway.

Metabolic pathway may be:

(c) Spiral pathway
(fatty acid
(a) Linear (b) Cyclic biosynthesis)
 Metabolic Diversity

All living organisms are divided into two major classes

Carbon source
Autotrophs are organisms that can use just carbon
dioxide as their sole source of carbon.
Heterotrophs require an organic form of carbon to
synthesize other essential carbon compounds.
Heterotrophs are divided into aerobs and
anaerobs.
 Metabolic Diversity
Metabolic Classification of Organisms According to Their Carbon and Energy Requirements

Classification Carbon Energy Electron Examples

Source Source Donors
Photoautotrophs CO2 Light H2O, H2S, S, Green plants, algae,
other inorganic cyanobacteria
compounds , photosynthetic bacteria
Chemoautotrophs CO2 Oxidation- Inorganic Nitrifying bacteria; hydrogen,
reduction compounds: H2, sulfur and iron bacteria
reactions H2S, NH4+, NO2-,
Fe2+, Mn2+
Photoheterotrophs Organic Light Organic Nonsulfur purple bacteria
compounds compounds

Chemoheterotrophs Organic Oxidation- Organic All animals, most

compounds reduction compounds, microorganisms,
reactions e.g., glucose nonphotosynthetic plant
tissue such as roots,
photosynthetic cells in the
dark
 Metabolic reactions
Can be subdivided into six types

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 1. Oxidation-reduction reactions
Transfer of electrons
Reactions are catalyzed by Oxidoreductases (dehydrogenases)
Coenzymes: NAD+, NADP+, FAD+, FMN+
Electron donor Electron acceptor
(reducing agent) (oxidising agent)

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 2. Ligation reactions
Form bonds by using energy from ATP cleavage
Reactions catalyzed by Ligases or Synthetase

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 3. Isomerization reactions
Rearrange particular atoms within the molecule
Catalyzed by Isomerases (mutases)

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 4. Group transfer reactions
Inter and intramolecular transfer of a functional group
(Phosphoryl, Acyl and Glycosyl groups)
Catalyzed by Kinases (phosphotransferase)

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 5. Hydrolytic reactions
Cleave bonds by the addition of water:
Hydrolases
- esterases
- peptidases
- glycosidases

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 6. Non-hydrolytic reactions
Non-hydrolytic cleavage reactions without the use of water
Carbon- Carbon bond cleavages catalysed by Lyases
Addition of functional groups to double bonds or removal of
functional groups to form double bonds

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