Campbell Biology Custom Stony Brook 10 Th Edition
Campbell Biology Custom Stony Brook 10 Th Edition
10th Edition
ISBN: 9781269870818
Author: Reece Urry Cain Wasserman Minorsky Jackson
Publisher: PEARSON
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Chapter 41, Problem 41.1CR
Summary Introduction

To determine: The reason how an enzyme cofactor needed for an essential process is an essential nutrient for only some animals.

Introduction: A coenzyme is an organic non-protein compound that binds with an enzyme to catalyze a reaction. Many coenzymes, though not all, are vitamins or derived from vitamins. Thus, the enzyme cofactors play an important role in performing normal physiological processes in their system. Most of the animals can synthesize these enzyme cofactors in their own body, but some require their supply through diet.

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Explanation of Solution

Essential nutrients are the nutrients that cannot be synthesized by the body but required to carry out the normal physiological functions and must be provided through diet. There are six essential nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Coenzymes primarily function as helper molecules in enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Most of the coenzymes are the vitamins (Vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, H, and K) or vitamin derivatives (NADH, FADH, Quinine, and CoA).

Many animals can produce most of the vitamins they need such as vitamin B3, vitamin C, and vitamin D on their own. But some of the animals cannot synthesize some vitamins or vitamin-derived cofactors, which are thus essential nutrients for them, and they need to intake these in their diet.

  • For example, anthropoid primates (humans, monkeys, and apes), guinea pigs, particular Indian fruit-eating bat, and some birds do not possess the ability to synthesize Vitamin C because of a defective mutation in the gene controlling the synthesis of L-gulonolactone oxidase (GLO gene) that blocks the conversion of glucose to ascorbic acid.
  • The common ancestor of birds and mammals today live in an environment with abundance of green plants containing thiamine. Hence, they lost the gene responsible for the production of Vitamin B1 (thiamine) in their own body. Thus, Vitamin B1 became an essential nutrient for them.
Conclusion

The cofactors are needed as an essential nutrient in some animals that lack the ability to produce enzyme cofactors in their own body.

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What are the three kinds of enzyme-controlled reactions so that the chemical-bond energy from a certain nutrient is released to the cell in the form of ATP?
The catalytic activity of enzymes depends on the presence of appropriate environmental conditions. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme found in the stomach and facilitates the digestion of large proteins. If pepsin is removed from this acidic environment of the stomach and is instead placed in a more basic environment, it will cease to function. Describe the specific effect that a change in environmental pH will have on pepsin and explain how this change can lead to inhibition of its catalytic activity. Respond in 4 to 6 complete sentences.
B) Read the situations below and indicate which of the four methods of enzyme regulation is occurring for each. a) The energy-carrying molecule ATP is made by the enzyme ATP synthase. Muscle cells use a lot of energy and also have higher amounts of the ATP synthase enzyme than many ouier cem types. General mechanism of enzyme regulation: /1 b) Prostaglandins are messenger molecules involved in the inflammatory response, as well as th perception of pain. They are synthesized from polyunsaturated fatty acid substrates by an enzyn called cyclo-oxygenase. "Ibuprofen" is the active ingredient in a variety of anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin® and Advil®. It reduces pain and swelling by binding to a hydrophobic channel in the active site of cyclo-oxygenase, blocking the polyunsaturated fatty acids from binding to the enzyme, and therefore stopping production of prostaglandins. General mechanism of enzyme regulation: a) In point form, describe the steps by which ATP is produced…

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Campbell Biology Custom Stony Brook 10 Th Edition

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