Biochem Question!

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DrKimkim

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Hi all,
I have been doing my lab work but I've been stuck on these two specific question for the whole day....:(I'm not sure how to approach them, please help!!!!!!! any input or suggestion is greatly appreciated! :)



A)Calculate the number of ATP you would generate if you
simultaneously at the following:
1) milk with 50 lactose molecules,
2) 1 egg white protein with 185 amino acids; assume all amino acids enter metabolismas pyruvate.
3) one molecule of butter (with 16 carbons,no double bonds; equivalent to 8 Acetyl CoA molecules by beta oxidation).

B) Compare the replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis inside of a macrophage with the replication of Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.How do these differ from the replication of a mitochindria and how do these three examples relate to the endosymbiotic theory?

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Part A looks pretty straight forward. First, find out what lactose is made of and find the pathway each of those molecules go through and calculate the ATP generated for each. Repeat for 2 and 3.

Part B.....Looks like you should know the endosymbiotic theory first and then apply it to those examples?
 


B) Compare the replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis inside of a macrophage with the replication of Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.How do these differ from the replication of a mitochindria and how do these three examples relate to the endosymbiotic theory?

I think the point might be that these bacteria do replicate inside an organism's cells, but they don't become "endosymbiotic" like mitochondria. M. tuberculosis is an acid-fast bacteria that is hard for the body's immune system to detect and destroy, so the macrophages engulf them when they find them, but they can replicate within the macrophage. Still, future macrophages will not be differentiated with built-in endosymbiotic TB. C. trachomatis is an obligate intracellular parasite. I am guessing that it happily replicates within a cell, also flying under the immune system's radar. These two bacteria have evolved methods for escaping detection, but their life is limited by the life of the cell in which they are parasites. In contrast, replication of the mitochondria is tied to the cell cycle. They have their own DNA, like these bacteria, but they successfully replicate and exist in the next generation of cells. I am pretty sure that all of these guys replicate with binary fission, but correct me if I'm wrong. I hope that helps a little!
 
For part A)
You know from all of cell respiration that: for one glucose roughly 38 ATP generated (2 from glycolysis, 2 from krebs cycle, and about 34 from electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation).
Glycolysis is the breakdown of 1 glucose molecule into two pyruvate molecules that enter the mitochondria and are converted to AcetylCoA, which then goes into krebs cycle.
Krebs cycle uses these and inturn produces 6NADH and 2FADH2 to the Electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation.
to sum up shuttling to ETC and OP: 2 NADH from glycolysis, 2 NADH from when pyruvate converted to AcoA, and 6NADH and 2FADH2 from krebs.
Remember (in general), proteins can contribute (in form of amino acids) to pyruvate, AcoA, krebs cycle, and fats (glycerol) to G3P or fats (fatty acids) to AcoA.
 
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