Energy Yield from Nutrients

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Energy Currency - Cellular Cash Flow

  • ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate): Primary cellular energy currency.
    • Contains two high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds.
    • Hydrolysis: $ATP + H_2O \rightarrow ADP + P_i$; releases $\approx \textbf{30.5}$ kJ/mol ($\textbf{7.3}$ kcal/mol).
  • ATP/ADP Cycle: Continuous regeneration maintains cellular energy levels.
  • Other High-Energy Molecules:
    • GTP, UTP, CTP (interconvertible with ATP, specific roles).
    • Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP).
    • 1,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (1,3-BPG).

⭐ Creatine phosphate acts as a rapidly mobilizable reserve of high-energy phosphates in skeletal muscle and brain, regenerating ATP from ADP during short bursts of intense activity. ATP-ADP Cycle & High-Energy Phosphate Bonds

Glucose Breakdown - Sugar Rush Riches

  • Glycolysis (Cytoplasm): Initial glucose (6C) breakdown to 2 Pyruvate (3C).

    • Investment: Uses 2 ATP. Payoff: Yields 4 ATP, 2 NADH.
    • Net: 2 ATP, 2 NADH per glucose.
    • Key irreversible enzymes: Hexokinase/Glucokinase, PFK-1, Pyruvate Kinase. (📌 "High Profile People")
  • Fate of Pyruvate (Post-Glycolysis):

    • Aerobic (O₂ present): Pyruvate $\rightarrow$ Acetyl-CoA (Link Reaction; +NADH) $\rightarrow$ TCA Cycle (Mitochondria; yields ATP, NADH, FADH₂).
    • Anaerobic (No O₂): Fermentation (Cytoplasm; regenerates NAD⁺ for glycolysis).
      • Humans: Pyruvate $\rightarrow$ Lactate.
      • Yeast: Pyruvate $\rightarrow$ Ethanol + CO₂.

⭐ Complete aerobic oxidation of one glucose molecule yields approximately 30-32 ATP molecules, depending on the shuttle system (malate-aspartate or glycerol-3-phosphate) used to transport cytosolic NADH electrons into mitochondria.

Glucose breakdown and ATP production

Fatty Acid Oxidation - Fatty Fuel Fortune

  • Site: Mitochondrial matrix (most FAs). Peroxisomes for VLCFAs & branched-chain FAs.
  • Activation: Cytoplasm: $FA + CoA + ATP \rightarrow Acyl-CoA$ (uses 2 ATP equiv.).
  • Transport (LCFAs): Carnitine shuttle (📌 Carnitine = Carrier) into mitochondria.
    • CPT-I: Outer mito. membrane; inhibited by Malonyl-CoA.
    • CPT-II: Inner mito. membrane.
  • β-Oxidation: Sequential 2C removal (as Acetyl-CoA) via 4 reactions (📌 OHOT: Oxidation, Hydration, Oxidation, Thiolysis).
    • Cycle products: 1 Acetyl-CoA (TCA), 1 $NADH$, 1 $FADH_2$ (ETC).
  • Energy: High yield. Acetyl-CoA (TCA cycle fuel).

    ⭐ Oxidation of palmitate (C16 FA) yields ~106 ATP (net). Fats = high energy density.

  • Regulation: Glucagon/Epi ↑, Insulin ↓. Malonyl-CoA inhibits CPT-I. ATP/$NADH$ feedback. Carnitine Shuttle Mechanism

Amino Acid Catabolism & Comparison - Protein Power & Yield Showdown

  • Amino Acid (AA) Catabolism:
    • Initial steps: Transamination & Deamination (removes $-\text{NH}_2$).
    • Ammonia ($\text{NH}_3$) detoxified to urea (Urea Cycle).
    • Carbon skeletons feed into:
      • Glycolysis (→ Pyruvate)
      • TCA Cycle intermediates
    • Fates:
      • Glucogenic AAs: Form glucose.
      • Ketogenic AAs: Form ketone bodies/acetyl-CoA (e.g., Leucine, Lysine 📌 L-L-K: Purely Ketogenic).
  • Comparative Energy Yields:
    • Carbohydrates: 4 kcal/g
    • Proteins: 4 kcal/g (average)
    • Fats: 9 kcal/g (highest density)

⭐ The Respiratory Quotient (RQ) is approximately 1.0 for carbohydrates, 0.7 for fats, and 0.8 for proteins. This reflects the different amounts of oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide produced during their complete oxidation.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Complete glucose oxidation yields ~32 ATP (malate-aspartate shuttle) or ~30 ATP (glycerol-3-P shuttle).
  • Anaerobic glycolysis nets 2 ATP per glucose molecule.
  • Palmitate (16C FA) oxidation generates ~106 ATP, significantly more than glucose.
  • Respiratory Quotient (RQ): Carbohydrates = 1.0, Fats ≈ 0.7, Proteins ≈ 0.8.
  • Uncoupling agents (e.g., DNP) ↓ATP synthesis, ↑heat production by dissipating proton gradient.
  • Substrate-level phosphorylation provides direct ATP in glycolysis and Krebs cycle.

Practice Questions: Energy Yield from Nutrients

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Which amino acid can be utilized in both gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis?

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Flashcards: Energy Yield from Nutrients

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Aerobic metabolism of glucose produces _____ net ATP via the malate-aspartate shuttle (heart and liver)

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Aerobic metabolism of glucose produces _____ net ATP via the malate-aspartate shuttle (heart and liver)

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