Chapter 8-10 Review Homework Questions

 

 

 

 

 

1.         You set up a series of experiments to monitor the rates of a reaction. The reaction is enzyme mediated.  In the reaction A → B + C. For each experiment in this series, you continuously add the

reactant A and monitor its concentration, so that the amount of A remains constant over time.  For each group of experiments, explain how the differences in experimental conditions could affect the reaction.

a. You compare two simultaneous experiments. In experiment 1, you use X amount of the enzyme. In experiment 2, you use 2X amount of the same enzyme.

b. You compare two simultaneous experiments. In both, you use equal amounts of the enzyme. In one, you allow the products to accumulate over time. In the other, you remove the products as they are produced.

c. You run two experiments and use equal amounts of the enzyme in both. One is run at 15 C and one is run at 35 C. The enzyme that you are using is isolated from human stomach juices.

 

 

 

2.         How do competitive and noncompetitive inhibition of an enzyme differ?  Explain how allosteric regulation of an enzyme occurs. 

 

 

 

3.         Explain how feedback mechanisms may be use to regulate enzyme-mediated metabolic pathways.

 

 

 

4.         What reactions do photosynthesis and glycolysis have in common?

 

 

 

5.         If the Krebs cycle does not require oxygen, why does cellular respiration stop after glycolysis when no  oxygen is present?

 

 

 

6.         Many organisms can withstand periods of oxygen debt (anaerobic conditions). Yeast undergoing oxygen debt convert pyruvic acid to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Animals undergoing oxygen debt convert pyruvic acid to lactic acid. Pyruvic acid is fairly non-toxic. Both ethanol and lactic acid are

quite toxic even in small amounts. Explain why this conversion has to occur in organisms even though it may kill them.

 

 

 

7.         The metabolic pathways of organisms living today evolved over a long period of time--undoubtedly in  stepwise fashion because of their complexity. Put the following processes in the order in which they might have most likely evolved and give a short explanation for your arrangement: Krebs Cycle, Electron Transport, Glycolysis, Photosynthesis.

 

 

 

8.         All living organisms require a constant supply of ATP to maintain life. If no light is available, how can a plant make ATP?

 

 

 

9.         What makes C4 photosynthesis more efficient than C3 photosynthesis in tropical climates?  How is CAM photosynthesis advantageous in desert climates?

 

 

 

10.       Photosynthesis most likely evolved very early in Earth's history. Central to the evolution of photosynthesis was the evolution of the enzyme rubisco (an abbreviation for ribulose biosphosphate carboxylase oxidase).

To the best of our knowledge, all photosynthetic plants use rubisco. Rubisco's funciton is to supply carbon dioxide to the Calvin cycle; however it only does this if the ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen is relatively high (FYI- a "relatively high" ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen is 0.03% carbon dioxide to 20% oxygen). When the carbon dioxide-to-oxygen ratio becomes low, the role of rubisco switches and it catalyzes photorespiration, the breakdown of glucose to carbon dioxide and water.

a. Why do we view photorespiration as a "mistake" in the functioning of a cell?

b. Rubisco is thought to have evolved when the earth's atmosphere was reducing (had very little

oxygen in it). How does this help to explain Rubisco's quirk?