Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Content Category 1D
Principles of bioenergetics and fuel molecule metabolism
The hydrolysis of ATP provides a ready source of energy for cells that can be coupled to other chemical processes in order to make them thermodynamically favorable. Fuel molecule mobilization, transport, and storage are regulated according to the needs of the organism.
The content in this category covers the principles of bioenergetics and fuel molecule catabolism. Details of oxidative phosphorylation including the role of chemiosmotic coupling and biological electron transfer reactions are covered, as are the general features of fatty acid and glucose metabolism. Additionally, regulation of these metabolic pathways, fuel molecule mobilization, transport, and storage are covered.
Topic Level Key
The abbreviations found in parentheses indicate the course(s) in which undergraduate students at many colleges and universities learn about the topics and associated subtopics. The course abbreviations are:BC = first-semester biochemistry
BIO = two-semester sequence of introductory biology
GC = two-semester sequence of general chemistry
OC = two-semester sequence of organic chemistry
Please note topics that appear on multiple content lists will be treated differently. Questions will focus on the topics as they are described in the narrative for the content category.
Principles of Bioenergetics (BC, GC)
- Bioenergetics/thermodynamics
- Free energy/Keq
- Equilibrium constant
- Relationship of the equilibrium constant and ΔG°
- Concentration
- Le Châtelier’s Principle
- Endothermic/exothermic reactions
- Free energy: G
- Spontaneous reactions and ΔG°
- Free energy/Keq
- Phosphoryl group transfers and ATP
- ATP hydrolysis ΔG << 0
- ATP group transfers
- Biological oxidation-reduction
- Half-reactions
- Soluble electron carriers
- Flavoproteins
- Description
- Nomenclature and classification, common names
- Absolute configuration
- Cyclic structure and conformations of hexoses
- Epimers and anomers
- Hydrolysis of the glycoside linkage
- Monosaccharides
- Disaccharides
- Polysaccharides
- Glycolysis (aerobic), substrates and products
- Feeder pathways: glycogen, starch metabolism
- Fermentation (anaerobic glycolysis)
- Gluconeogenesis (BC)
- Pentose phosphate pathway (BC)
- Net (maximum) molecular and energetic results of respiration processes
- Regulation of metabolic pathways (BIO, BC)
- Maintenance of a dynamic steady state
- Regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis
- Metabolism of glycogen
- Regulation of glycogen synthesis and breakdown
- Allosteric and hormonal control
- Analysis of metabolic control
- Acetyl-CoA production (BC)
- Reactions of the cycle, substrates and products
- Regulation of the cycle
- Net (maximum) molecular and energetic results of respiration processes
- Description of fatty acids (BC)
- Digestion, mobilization, and transport of fats
- Oxidation of fatty acids
- Saturated fats
- Unsaturated fats
- Ketone bodies (BC)
- Anabolism of fats (BIO)
- Non-template synthesis: biosynthesis of lipids and polysaccharides (BIO)
- Metabolism of proteins (BIO)
- Electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation, substrates and products, general features of the pathway
- Electron transfer in mitochondria
- NADH, NADPH
- Flavoproteins
- Cytochromes
- ATP synthase, chemiosmotic coupling
- Proton motive force
- Net (maximum) molecular and energetic results of respiration processes
- Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation
- Mitochondria, apoptosis, oxidative stress (BC)
- Higher level integration of hormone structure and function
- Tissue specific metabolism
- Hormonal regulation of fuel metabolism
- Obesity and regulation of body mass
To support your studies, see the following video tutorials below from the Khan Academy MCAT Collection. The videos and associated questions were created by the Khan Academy in collaboration with the AAMC and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Section
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Section
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Section
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Section