Cell Chemistry: Living Organisms and Chemical Energy

Cell chemistry
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Cell Chemistry
Introduction
Since the formation of primitive life, organisms have undergone continuous evolution to acquire advanced structures and functions for life sustenance. Particularly, metabolic processes that allow the utilization of energy in cells among different living organisms have evolved and greatly diversified. Processes such as chemosynthesis and photosynthesis have become important in not only producing food for the consumers, but also in industrial processes. For instance, photosynthesis in algae and chemosynthesis in bacteria have been found to be important in cleaning oil spills.
Role Of Photosynthesis In The Process Of Crude Oil Remediation
While the existing strategies to clean up oil spills are important, they present a number of drawbacks such as the harmful by-products generation during the process. These methods are also costly, and this has led to researchers to find some natural alternatives such as the use algae in crude oil remediation (Cao, Xiong & Lund, 2013). Oxidation of crude oil spill to less harmful metabolites such as carbon dioxide and water utilizes oxygen. Algae depend on photosynthesis, a process requiring carbon dioxide and water, for growth. The oxygen produced during photosynthesis acts to oxidize the contaminants in oil spills.
Living Organisms and Chemical Energy
Heterotrophs and Autotrophs
Whereas heterotrophs do not make their own food, autotrophs have the capacity to manufacture their own food using light and store it in the form of chemical energy or carbohydrates. Plants, algae and other forms of bacteria are capable of using carrying out the process of photosynthesis. Some autotrophic bacteria use chemical energy found in compounds such as methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide to produce their own food. This process is known as chemosynthesis. Apart from supporting their own lives using these processes, this class of living organisms support other lives on earth as they are commonly known as producers. On the contrary, heterotrophs are largely consumers as they do not make their own food. Animals, fungi, bacteria and protists fall in this category of living organisms. Heterotrophs obtain energy by consuming autotrophies or other heterotrophs.
Relationship between a photosynthetic autotroph and a chemotrophic autotroph
Both chemosynthesis and photosynthesis refer to reactions which organisms utilize in the production of food. While photosynthesis relies on light from the sun chemosythesis depends on chemical energy. Photosynthetic autotrophs and chemosynthetic autotrophs produce their own food to power their life processes. Both can be called producers and are depended upon by consumers.
How are these metabolic pathways similar to photosynthesis?
Chemotrophic metabolic pathways are similar to photosynthesis as both of the processes end with chemical energy that is stored in the organisms to sustain life. The energy formed through the process of chemosynthesis plays a similar role as the sugar formed during photosynthesis. Glucose, the product of photosynthesis, is stored in plants in the form of starch. When oxidised, glucose releases energy that is critical for life sustenance. S...