Overview of Metabolism

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Metabolism The essential task of proteins is to act as enzymes-catalysts that increase the rate of practically all chemical reactions within cells. A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical process without being consumed in the process. When a catalyzed reaction occurs, the reactants are converted into the products faster than they would be without the catalyst. In the absence of enzymatic catalysis, most biochemical outcomes are so slow that they would not occur under the weak conditions of temperature and pressure that are consistent with life. Enzymes speed up the rates of such reactions by well over a million-fold, so outcomes that would take years in the absence of catalysts can occur in fractions of seconds if catalyzed by the appropriate enzyme. Cells contain thousands of different enzymes and their activities determine which of the many potential chemical reactions actually take place within the cell. All reactions, whether “endergonic “or “exergonic”, possess an activation energy (Ea) barrier that must overcome for reaction to occur. Heat offers the activation energy for many reactions. Although a surge in heat increases the rate of most reactions, proteins are denatured at high heat and lose their function. This can be destructive to the cell. Therefore, living cells cannot rely on high levels of heat as a source of activation energy. Catalysts permit reactions to proceed at suitable rates at moderate temperatures by reducing the activation energy. The free energy change of a reaction is not affected by the catalyst. It cannot change an endergonic reaction into an exergonic reaction; it can only decrease the potential energy levels of the transition state and become products. Catalysts only speed up a r... ... middle of paper ... ...Publications,1/2/1989) References (). The Chemical Basis of Life. In (Series Ed.), : Vol. . , (pp. 69-70). Retrieved from ALDOB-aldolase B,fructose-biphosphate-Genetics Home Reference. (June 2011). http//hgr.nlm.nih.gov/geneALDOB CFS-The Central Cause: Mitochondrial Failure-DoctorMyhill. (January 16,2009). http//drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/CFS_-_The_Central_Cause:_Mitochondrial_Failure Cori cycle interactive animation-wiley. (n.d.). www.wiley.com/college/boyer Hereditary fructose intolerance-Genetics home reference. (June 2011). http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/hereditary-fructose-intolerlance Internet Scientific Publications. (1/2/1989). http//ispub.com/IJNW/1/2/5189 Wyzant.com. (n.d.). http//www.wyzant.com/resources/lessons/science/biology/krebscycle www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9921/ (2000). The Central Role of Enzymes as Biological Catalysts-The Cell-NCBI Bookshelf

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