The processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration are complementary

Respiration E.B. 1

Assignment 2: Respiration and Photosynthesis Cycle

Erica Brooks

South University

Professor Heekin

Week 3

Cellular respiration and photosynthesis form a critical cycle of energy and matter that supports the continued existence of life on earth. Why are these concepts so important in the world of energy here on Earth? Energy is the key to mostly all walks of life in some way, shape, or form. Throughout this analysis of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, describing the stages of cellular respiration and photosynthesis as well as their interaction and interdependence including raw materials, products, and amount of ATP or glucose produced during each phase will be the central aspect of the discussion. Also up for discussion will be how each of those raw materials, products, ATP amounts or glucose is linked to specific organelles within the eukaryote cell and the importance and significance of those processes and their cyclic interaction to the evolution and diversity of life.

Describe the stages of photosynthesis and cellular respiration and their interaction and interdependence including raw materials, products, and amount of ATP or glucose produced during each phase. How is each linked to specific organelles within the eukaryotic cell.

Both photosynthesis and Cellular respiration both help sustain life on planet Earth as both are metabolic processes. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants and some protistans and bacteria uses energy via the sun in order to form glucose from water and carbon dioxide. From there, glucose is then converted to pyruvate. Pyruvate then releases what is called adenosine triphosphate or ATP (as commonly referred to) by way of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is pair of processes and reaction (metabolic) that takes shape in the cell area of an organism in order to convert nutrients that are biochemical energy into ATP, while releasing waste products at the same time. Oxygen is also formed after those take shape. Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration are also very essential for the continuous energy cycle that sustains life on Earth as we know it presently. Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration both have a few stages where energy creation happens and both processes have different connections with organelles within the eukaryotic cell.

Those specific processes are crucial in how far evolution has come and how evolution as become diversified as presently known. Even though photosynthesis and cellular respiration function differently and go through a different process apart from each other, they are both interdependent on the other, while also displaying cycles that are seen as complementary to each other. Cellular respiration is responsible for burning glucose into forms of energies. Conversely, those forms of energies are not intensifying heat or light. ATP molecules are then formed from that kind of energy released from the burning of glucose. Cellular respiration is also made up of quite a lot of different reactions, which can be explained with the equation below. C6H1206 + 6O2 → 6C02 + 6H20 + Chemical Energy in ATP is the equation. All cells that are living goes through this particular process and it happens in the autotrophic and heterotrophic cells due to cellular respiration referring to the method of gaining energy from organic molecules and food for usage.

Throughout that process, different kinds of reactions are depending on the other reactions and the process of cellular respiration is exchanging oxygen for the purpose of breaking down fuel, or aerobic type of process which is similar to a large extent to human beings inhaling oxygen just to exhale carbon dioxide. During this stage, cells exchange gases with the surrounding(s) for the purpose of creating ATP, Cells then use that as an energy source eventually. That is an example of a metabolic pathway because it is a process that is completed through a few different reactions. Throughout cellular respiration, chemical energy that comes from fuel molecules then becomes adenosine diphosphate, or ADP. A phosphate is then linked together with ADP, creating ATP in the process, which is the energy source of this cell. Once ATP is used by cells, another phosphate is released thus joining ADP once more in order for the cycle to be renewed over continuously. That whole cycle identifies with three key areas which are the glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and the electron transport stages. Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that forms in the cytosol. Throughout this process, a glucose molecule turns into two pyruvate molecules that happen inside of the cytoplasmic fluid. Using ATP molecules, a glucose molecule creates two three-carbon molecules by breaking in half.

The molecules from there then gives off electrons to NAD+ creating NADH, hence four more ATP molecules. After that, the pyruvic acid loses a carbon molecule which changes into acetic acid thus starting the citric acid cycle. Then, the glucose breaks down into CO2, which is not a necessity, but commonly viewed as waste. Enzymes then dissolve inside of the mitochondria during this process, seen as a form of recycling when it comes to molecules in this area. As the fuel oxidizes, the NADH is formed afterwards. Additionally, CoA is created and is viewed as the initial reaction when it comes to the citric acid cycle. The CoA is removed at this stage and recycled in order to attach itself once more to the acetic molecule again. Acetic acid aligns itself with more carbon molecules during this cycle to be citric acid. The final phase is the electron transport. Throughout this phase, electrons travel down transport chains to oxygen by those aforementioned above phases. This stage is where most of the released energy creates ATP and a little bit of ATP is formed as well during the first two phases of this process. ATP might be the main factor in this process, since a certain amount is created in every step, and spent in the other steps simultaneously. This is where self-sufficient cellular cycle of use and energy production is created.

Cellular respiration is similar to photosynthesis because both of them help in obtaining energy. Nonetheless, while photosynthesis is converting energy from sunlight mostly into chemical energy for algae, plants, and bacteria, cellular respiration is done by some plants and all animals via converting organic molecules and food into energy. Organelles called chloroplasts are where photosynthesis happens. Those organelles are located on the inside of leaves and are able to absorb light. Similar to animals, photosynthesis needs water that is absorbed through the roots of the plants that is lifted to the leaves as opposed to being ingested so to speak. The stomata are where CO2 enters and can be stored, which the most essential piece of the process is possibly, and where CO2 and water exit.

Photosynthesis combines water and carbon dioxide molecules that come from its’ roots, and grabs light energy to begin the chemical process and that is responsible for creating energy and its offshoots, which is the opposite of what cellular respiration displays. Those waste offshoots consist of oxygen gas and glucose, exit through the leaves, and that waste is how cellular respiration has to have to work properly, which therefore completes the cycle of life completely.

Photosynthesis and respiration both depend on key organelles that reside inside of eukaryote cells to perform many jobs. Differences between those key organelles tend to reside with the way that creatures, plants, and fungi get their energy thus how they use specific organelles inside of the eukaryotic cell. For instance, even though the mitochondria is located where pyruvates come in to start cellular respiration processes for receiving energy, one could easily assume that since plants convert from light to energy via photosynthesis with chlorophyll, it is not necessary for them to have an organelle of such. Plants display both processes simultaneously, even though most creatures living cannot go through photosynthesis.

What has been the importance and significance of these processes and their cyclic interaction to the evolution and diversity of life?

There are quite a few reasons why these processes are important or significant to reach equilibrium of life inside of the ecosystem and keeping that balance. Cellular respiration and photosynthesis are very interrelated as both give out energy that plants use and both processes recycle the other’s waste for usages. For example, human beings inhale oxygen for the purpose of keeping their cells alive, and with the help of cellular respiration, exhales carbon dioxide that is seen as waste. On the other hand, plants absorb carbon dioxide and do it through photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Oxygen that is wasted is from there recycled by other humans and plants to start the new continuous process all over again. That process is how life is sustained on a global level at a lot of different levels.

Cells evolve based upon environmental needs for survival according to Charles Darwin. Many plants go through photosynthesis and receive CO2 from the air directly, nevertheless, in very dry and hot weather, or cold weather for that matter, different approaches gives the plants an increasing chance for survival, which allows the plant to grow the capacity to generate oxygen for existing life. Prior to the Calvin Cycle starting, categorized for their process, some plants have different ways when it comes to how to deal with carbon. CAM plants are already extremely used to only dry parts that causes their stomata to open up during specific time periods throughout the day, normally at night in order to absorb CO2, and able to process the cycle when the stomata is closed throughout the rest of the day. C4 plants, depending on weather conditions, keep their stomata closed. They also have enzymes that assist constantly in incorporating carbon into their process continuously. Those examples show why and how plants adapt fully to a specific environment and natural selection has a lot to do with those processes. Natural selection has made sure that they provide the benefit of food and air to other living beings and about to still generate food as well.

References

Benson, A. A., & Calvin, M. (1950). The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis: VII. Respiration and photosynthesis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 63-68.

Pace, N. R. (1997). A molecular view of microbial diversity and the biosphere. Science, 276(5313), 734-740.

Smith, N. G., & Dukes, J. S. (2013). Plant respiration and photosynthesis in global‐scale models: incorporating acclimation to temperature and CO2. Global Change Biology, 19(1), 45-63.