4.

1
Introduction
to Cellular
Respiration
and
Fermentation

Learning Goals
Understand the overall process
of Cellular respiration
Be able to identify the 4 steps of
cellular respiration
Understand how Aerobic and
Anaerobic Respiration function
Be able to explain the process of
Glycolysis

Cellular Respiration: General

Intro
We have all seen the advertisements for energy drinks that claim
they can put pep in your step when your energy levels are low. The
majority of them contain high levels of caffeine but if you read the
label, they also contain massive quantities of sugar.
It is the sugars that your body is able to break down quickly to
produce more cellular energy. Cells have developed a number of
different mechanisms to extract the energy they need from available
nutrients.
Organisms are able to break the covalent bonds of the glucose
molecule and through a series of redox reactions, rearrange the sugar
molecule into new and more stable configurations. During cellular
respiration, the redox reactions result in the transfer of electrons from
glucose to oxygen. The glucose is oxidized to carbon dioxide and the
oxygen is reduced to water. The overall chemical equation is as
follows:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy as heat and ATP

Cellular Respiration Intro

This equation is merely a summary of the process. In reality,
the anaerobic (absence of oxygen) portion of the process
combined with the aerobic (presence of oxygen) portion
translates to a series of approximately 30 enzyme controlled
steps.
The large number of steps is necessary to dissipate the heat
that is released from the reaction. The bodys burning of
glucose is no different than burning gasoline to run your car or
burning propane to heat your barbeque.
When glucose is broken down, the liberated free energy, about
-2870 kJ/mol of it, can be converted to ATP which the cell
can readily use to power all of its endergonic processes.

Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Aerobic Cellular Respiration a
process that uses oxygen to harvest
energy from organic compounds
The process that extracts energy
from food
Used to make ATP
Takes place in most Eukaryotes
(multi-cellular) and some
prokaryotes (uni-cellular)

 Obligate Aerobe
organism that must have oxygen to
live
Humans, okapi giraffes etc. all need
oxygen to live and carry out cellular
respiration

Obligate Anaerobe
an organism that cannot survive
in an environment with oxygen
Some species of
bacteria/microorganisms cannot live
in the presence of oxygen
Ex Clostridium tetani (bacteria that causes
tetanus). Also, Clostridium Botulinum (bacteria
that causes botulism, and Salmonella enteritis
(causes food poisoning).

Overview of Cellular
Respiration

Consists of 4 main steps:

Glycolysis splits glucose into 2 pyruvate molecules
and releases energy (used to make ATP)
Pyruvate Oxidation pyruvate is oxidized to form
Acetyl CoA
Citric Acid Cycle (also known as Krebs Cycle) - a
cycle of reactions that produces ATP and energy carrier
molecules
Electron Transport Chain/Oxidative
Phosphorylation uses energy carrier molecules to
make ATP

Glycoly
sis

Occurs in
the Cytosol

Pyruvate
Oxidatio
n

Citric
Acid
Cycle

Occurs in
the
Mitochondri
a

Electron
Transport
Chain and
Oxidative
Phosphorylati
on

Quick Review
Mitochondria:
cell organelle involved in the production of ATP
ETC and Oxidative
Phosphorylation
take place within
the inner membrane
Citric Acid Cycle and
Pyruvate Oxidation take
place within the Matrix
(fluid inside inner
membrane)

What is Phosphorylation
A process whereby cells use enzymes to
oxidize nutrients which in turn release
energy to make ATP
Substrate Level:
Forms some ATP
Direct transfer of Pi to ADP ATP

Oxidative
Forms LOTS of ATP
Indirect transfer of Pi through series of redox
reactions

What about Anaerobic

Pathways?
Energy can also be extracted from
food molecules using Anaerobic
Respiration
Anaerobic Respiration harvesting
energy from food molecules without
using oxygen
Use other molecules as oxidizing agents
Produce less energy
Ex. Alcohol Fermentation yeast feed on
sugar molecules and produce ethanol as

Alcohol Fermentation

Glycolysis Overview
Occurs in Cytosol (cytoplasm)
Splits 1 Glucose Molecule into 2 Pyruvate
Molecules
Produces 2 ATP
Produces 2 NADH (energy carrier molecule)