Reactions of the Biological System

Thermodynamic systems

Isolated
System Open
System

Closed
System
 Closed system
No exchange of energy or matter

Surrounding

Closed
System
 Isolated system
Exchange of energy but not matter

Surrounding
Energy

Isolated
System
 Open system
Exchange of both energy and matter

Surrounding
Energy & Matter

Open
System
Biological systems
from thermodynamic point of view
Molecularity of a Reaction

The number of atoms, ions or molecules that

must collide with one another simultaneously
so as to result into a chemical reaction is
called the molecularity of the reaction.
 Molecularity of Biological Reactions

Biological reactions are diverse in terms of molecularity

Denaturation of DNA may be considered as an

monomolecular Reaction

Bimolecular reactions include many of the

simple enzyme substrate reactions

Replication, Transcription , Translation are

complex multimolecular reactions.
 Order of a Reaction
order of a reaction with respect to certain reactant is defined as
the index or exponent, to which its concentration term in the rate
equation is raised.

2A + B → C

with a rate equation r=k [A]2 [B]1

The reaction order with respect to A = 2 and with respect

to B = 1 and the overall reaction order is 2 + 1 = 3
What does reaction order tell us?

Relationship between rate and

concentration!

How the amount of compound speeds up or

retards the reaction rate!
Effect of Concentration on Reaction Rate
n = reaction order usually an
Rate  (Concentration ) n integer (e.g. 0, 1, 2)

ln rate  n ln concentration 

“A zero-order
reaction is one in
ln (rate)

which the rate of

reaction is
Zero order independent of
n=0 concentration.”
ln (conc.)
Effect of Concentration on Reaction Rate
n = reaction order usually an
Rate  (Concentration ) n integer (e.g. 0, 1, 2)

ln rate  n ln concentration 

1st order “A first-order

n =1 reaction is one in
1 which the rate of
ln (rate)

1 reaction is directly
proportional to
concentration.”

ln (conc.)
Effect of Concentration on Reaction Rate
n = reaction order usually an
Rate  (Concentration ) n integer (e.g. 0, 1, 2)

ln rate  n ln concentration 
2nd order
n =2
“A second-order
2
reaction is one in
1
which the rate of
ln (rate)

reaction is directly
proportional to the
square of the
concentration.”
ln (conc.)
 Order of Biological Reactions

Except for decomposition reactions, zero order reactions are

usually rare in biological systems

First order kinetics is most common in the reactions of biological

systems. Microbial growth is a first order reaction

Many important biological reactions, such as the formation of

double-stranded DNA from two complementary strands, can be
described using second order kinetics
 Metabolic Reactions

Metabolism is the collection

of all chemical reactions that
happen in the cells of
living organism to sustain life.
Energy Yield of Biological Reactions

Metabolism

Catabolic reactions are

exergonic
Anabolic reactions are
endergonic
Exergonic Reactions
Endergonic Reactions
 Catabolic Reactions
Catabolism refers to biochemical reactions that
result in the breakdown of more complex organic
molecules into simpler substances

Large molecules such as

polycassharides, lipids, nucleic
acids and proteins are broken down into smaller
units such as monosaccharides, fatty acids
nucleotides and amino acids respectively.
 Anabolic Reactions

Anabolic processes tend toward "building up" organs

and tissues. These processes produce growth and
differentiation of cells and increase in body size, a process

that involves synthesis of complex molecules

 Amphibolic Reactions
Biochemical pathway that involves
both catabolism and anabolism. This term
was proposed to emphasize the dual methabolic
role of many pathways

Oxaloacetate (4C) + Acetyl CoA (2C) Citrate (6C)

Isocitrate (6C) Succinate (4C) + 2 CO2

What is Gibb’s “free energy” ?

Gibbs free energy (IUPAC recommended

name: Gibbs energy or Gibbs function) is
a thermodynamic potential that measures the
"useful" work obtainable from
a thermodynamic system
What is Gibb’s “free energy” ?

A+B C+D

G =  G° + ln [C][D] / [A][B]
 What does Gibb’s free energy tell us?

Whether any biochemical reaction will occur

spontaneously
What does Gibb’s free energy tell us?

- value of  G indicates a reaction will be

spontaneous

+ value of  G indicates a reaction as

non spontaneous
Coupled Reactions in biological system

Glucose + Fructose sucrose G = + 5.5 K cal/mole

ATP ADP + Pi G = - 7.3 K cal/mole

Coupled Reactions in biological system

Glucose + Fructose sucrose G = + 5.5 K cal/mole

ATP ADP + Pi G = - 7.3 K cal/mole

Glucose + ATP Glucose-1-P + ADP

Glucose-1-P + Fructose sucrose + Pi

 Coupled Reactions in biological system

Glucose + ATP Glucose-1-P + ADP

Glucose-1-P + Fructose sucrose +
Pi

Glucose + Fructose + ATP sucrose + ADP + Pi

Net change in G = -1.8 K cal/mole

 High Energy Compounds
ATP is the cardinal high-energy compound

ATP is the energy currency of cells and its hydrolysis is

used to drive a large number of reactions

Hydrolysis of GTP is important in signal transduction

and protein synthesis

These high energy compounds are extremely important

as breakdown of these compounds release useful
energy which is used to pull a biological reaction which
was otherwise energetically unfavorable.
 Conclusion
Biological systems are collections of reactions

Thermodynamically biological systems are open , far-from-

equilibrium dissipative structures

Most of the reactions of biological system obey first and second

order kinetics with higher values of molecularity

A vast majority of the reactions of biological system are

unfavourable from thermodynamic point of view. These
reaction happen in nature getting coupled with reactions that
are thermodynamically more favourable
 Conclusion …continued

High energy compounds like ATP, GTP and many others are
extremely useful as they can pull energetically unfavourable
reactions

Catabolic reactions are mostly exergonic whereas anabolic

reactions are endergonic in nature

A vast majority of the reactions of biological system are

unfavourable from thermodynamic point of view. These
reaction happen in nature getting coupled with reactions that
are thermodynamically more favourable