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Energy Rich Compounds

CONTENT

      Energy rich compounds

      ATP

      cAMP and its biological significance

Objective

       At the end of this lecture, student will be able to

      Explain energy rich compounds

      Describe ATP

      Explain cAMP and its biological significance

Energy rich compounds

Certain compounds are encountered in the biological system which, on hydrolysis, yield energy. The term high-energy compounds or energy rich compounds is usually applied to substances which possess sufficient free energy to liberate at least 7 Cal/mol at pH 7.0 Certain other compounds which liberate less than 7.O Cal/mol at pH 7.0 referred to as low energy compounds

Classification of high energy compounds

There are at least 5 groups of high-energy compounds

1. Pyrophosphates          e.g. ATP

2. Acyl phosphates          e.g.1,3-bisphospho glycerate

3. Enol phosphates          e.g. phosphoenol pyruvate

4. Thioesters                      e.g. acetyl CoA

5. Phosphagens                e.g. phosphocreatine

6. Others: cAMP, cGMP

There are at least 5 groups of high-energy compounds

High-energy bonds: The high energy compounds possess acid anhydride bonds, which are formed by the condensation of two acidic groups or related compounds

       These bonds are referred to as high energy bonds, since the free energy is Iiberated, when these bonds are hydrolysed

       Ordinary ester bond of phosphate releases about 3000 calories on hydrolysis & energy rich phosphate bonds release between 7000 to 13000 calories

ATP

       Adenosine triphosphates a unique and the most important high energy molecule in the living cells

       lt consists of adenine, a ribose and triphosphate moiety

       ATP is a high energy compound due to the presence of two phosphoanhydride bonds in the triphosphate unit

       ATP serves as the energy currency of the cell as is evident from the ATP-ADP cycle

       The hydrolysis of ATP is associated with the release of large amount of energy

ATP + H2O → ADP + Pi + -7.3 Cal

       The energy liberated is utilized for various processes like muscle contraction, active transport etc.

       ATP can also act as a donor of high energy phosphate to low energy compounds to make them energy rich

       On the other hand, ADP can accept high energy phosphate from the compounds possessing higher free energy content to form ATP

       ATP serves as an immediately available energy currency of the cell which is constantly being utilized and regenerated

       This is represented by ATP-ADP cycle, the fundamental basis of energy exchange reactions in living system. The turnover of ATP is very high

       ATP acts as an energy link between the catabolism (degradation of molecules) and anabolism( synthesis) in the biological system

Synthesis of ATP

       Synthesized in two ways

1. Oxidative phosphorylation:

       This is the major source of ATP in aerobic organisms, linked with the mitochondrial electron transport chain

2. Substrate level phosphorylation:

       ATP may be directly synthesized during substrate oxidation in the metabolism. The high-energy compounds such as phosphoenolpyruvate and 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate and succinyl CoA can transfer high energy phosphate to ultimately produce ATP

cAMP

       Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP, cyclic AMP, or 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) is a second messenger important in many biological processes

       cAMP is a derivative of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and used for intracellular signal transduction in many different organisms

Summary

       High-energy compounds usually applied to substances which possess sufficient free energy to liberate at least 7 Cal/mol at pH 7.0

       Low energy compounds Certain liberate less than 7.O Cal/mol at pH 7.0 referred to as low energy compounds

       Adenosine triphosphates a unique and the most important high energy molecule in the living cells

       ATP-ADP cycle, the fundamental basis of energy exchange reactions in living system

       ATP is synthesized by oxidative phosphorylation and substrate level phosphorylation

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