How does the red blood cells produces ATP?
Because of the lack of nuclei and mitochondria, mature red blood cells are incapable of generating energy via the (oxidative) Krebs cycle. Instead, erythrocytes depend on the anaerobic conversion of glucose by the Embden-Meyerhof pathway for the generation and storage of high-energy phosphates. Moreover, erythrocytes possess a unique glycolytic bypass for the production of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), the Rapoport-Luebering shunt. This shunt bypasses the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) step and accounts for the synthesis and regulation of 2,3-DPG levels that decrease hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen.2 In addition, 2,3-DPG constitutes an energy buffer.
Why is fermentation not the best method for humans to make ATP?
Fermentation is a metabolic process converting sugar to acids, gases and/or alcohol. It occurs in yeast and bacteria, but also in oxygen-starved human muscle cells. In its strictest sense, fermentation is the absence of the electron transport chain and takes a reduced carbon source, such as glucose, and makes products like lactic acid or acetate. No oxidative phosphorylation is used, only substrate level phosphorylation, which yields a much lower amount of ATP
Does ATP vary in plants and animals?
Good question! The ATP molecule is chemically identical in all known forms of life, including plants and animals (such as humans). As to the question of how our cells use the ATP that they digest, it helps first to know what kind of molecule ATP is. It belongs to a group of organic molecules called nucleotides. All organic molecules, including nucleotides, may be ingested and chemically broken into their component parts. This process can yield energy as well as chemical "building blocks" that can later be used to synthesize new molecules. Nutritionally speaking, nucleotides are more important for providing those building blocks than for providing energy. The amount of actual energy your body gets from digesting ATP molecules is pretty insignificant. That last point might seem strange given the central role ATP has in providing energy for the body. As you may already know, cells use ATP as an energy "currency", storing energy in ATP's chemical bonds and releasing that energy by breaking those bonds. But you may also know that when ATP releases its energy, it is converted to a different molecule called ADP. That same ADP molecule can then be re-converted to ATP, repeating the process. The same molecule of ADP can be used over and over and over to store and supply energy. Since the same molecules are being used repeatedly, the number your body needs is actually pretty small. At any given time, the average human body contains about 250 grams of ATP, less than one percent of total body weight. That's practically nothing compared to the amount of fat or protein. But that 250 grams is constantly being used and re-used to provide enrgy. The same is true for plants that you eat. The actual amount of ATP in an apple is tiny compared to the amount of other molecules. So when you eat that apple, yes you'll get a little bit of energy from the ATP in its cells. But you'll get way more energy from carbohydrates that far outnumber the ATP. Your body will break down those carbohydrates, using the energy to convert ADP molecules that you already had into ATP.
Prokaryotes have no mitochondria — how do they get their ATP?
Prokaryotic cells such as bacyeria possess a simpler cellular organization, where cellular complexity is absent and they perform simple operations.But still they require energy to do so. This energy is provided in the form of ATP (or NADH in many cases) and also PMF (proton motive force). The entire Electron transport system is located in the plasma membrane of the bacteria, which generates PMF. This PMF generation is coupled with ATP hydrolysis as we find in a typical chemiosmotic theory. This process is also known as chemiosmotic coupling.fig. - a simplified diagrammatic representation of chemiosmotic coupling theoryMoreover, movement of bacterial flagellae, the process of chemotaxis (typical two-component signal transduction systems) derives energy from PMF, which is produced across the bacterial plasma membrane.
Does ATP act as a carrier of chemical energy?
exactly ATP ACTS AS A CHEMICAL ENERGY. so thats why its said to be a energy currency of the biological system.
Which process is more efficient at making atp energy?
Aerobic respiration is more efficient at making ATP molecules. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen (as indicated by the name if you're looking for a way to remember). Aerobic respiration makes ~34 ATP molecules. Anaerobic respiration makes ~2 ATP molecules. In both Aerobic and Anaerobic respiration, a process called Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell that ultimately breaks down the glucose molecule (C6H12O6) into two pyruvate molecules. In Anaerobic respiration, those resulting pyruvate molecules are fermented into either ethanol or lactic acid, which ultimately yields ~2 ATP molecules. In Areobic respiration, those resulting pyruvate molecules are transfered into the mitochondrial matrix of the mitochondria cell. They are then broken down into acytle and attached to coenzyme-A, making an Acetyl-CoA complex. This Acetyl-CoA complex shuttles the Acetyl to the edge of the Citric Acid Cycle where it will be processed and ultimately used to "reduce" NAD+ molecules and FAD+ molecules to NADH molecules and FADH2 molecules. These energized molecules will run the oxidative phosphorylation process which will assemble ~34 ATP molecules.