John Wrigglesworth - Energy And Life (Modules in Life Sciences)

General Preface to the Series

ix

Preface

xi

Chapter 1

Introduction to Bioenergetics

1.1 Life and energy

1.2 Quantitation and the laws of thermodynamics

1.3 Entropy, heat and work

1.3.1 Irreversibility

1.4 Living systems

1.4.1 Living systems are isothermal

1.4.2 Living systems are non-equilibrium systems

Summary

Selected reading

Chapter 2

Energy Requirements and Energy Expenditure

2.1 Calorimetry

2.1.1 Direct calorimetry

2.1.2 Indirect calorimetry

2.2 Energy expenditure

2.2.1 Energy expenditure and size

2.2.2 Physical activity

Summary

Selected reading

Study problems

Chapter 3

Chemical Reactions and Energy Transduction

3.1 Free energy changes

3.2 Sequential reactions

3.3 Coupled reactions

3.4 Binding energy

3.4.1 Ligand binding and conformational changes

3.4.2 Mechano-chemical coupling in actomyosin

3.5 Common intermediates

Summary

Selected reading

Study problems

Chapter 4

Redox Reactions: Electrons as Common Intermediates

4.1 Redox couples and redox potentials

4.1.1 Standard redox potentials

4.2 Electron transfer reactions

4.2.1 Marcus theory of electron transfer

4.3 Electron transfer complexes

4.3.1 Mitochondrial electron transport chains

4.3.2 Electron transport chains in plants

4.3.2 Bacterial respiratory chains

Summary

Selected reading

Study problems

Chapter 5

Redox Reactions in Metabolism

5.1 Oxidation states

5.2 -Oxidation of fatty acids

5.3 Oxidation of glucose by fermentation

5.4 Coupling redox reactions to ligand reactions

5.5 Fermentation pathways

5.6 Metabolic fates of pyruvate in the absence of oxygen

5.7 Metabolic fate of pyruvate in the presence of oxygen

5.7.1 Stage (i). Pyruvate dehydrogenase

5.7.2 Stage (ii). The citric acid cycle

5.7.3 Stage (iii). The electron transfer chain

5.8 The energetics of glucose and fatty acid oxidation

5.9 The glyoxylate cycle

Summary

Selected reading

Study problems

Chapter 6

Redox Reactions in the Biosphere

6.1 The oxygen cycle

6.1.1 The oxidation of molecular oxygen

6.1.2 Oxygen reduction

6.2 The nitrogen cycle

6.2.1 Nitrogen fixation from atmospheric nitrogen

6.2.2 Nitrogen fixation from nitrate

6.2.3 Oxidation of ammonia

6.2.4 Denitrification

6.3 The sulphur cycle

6.3.1 Sulphate reduction

6.3.2 Sulphide and sulphur oxidation

6.4 The hydrogen cycle

Summary

Selected reading

Chapter 7