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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Metabolism01:40

Overview of Metabolism

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Living cells constantly carry out various chemical reactions which are necessary for their proper functioning. These reactions are interlinked to one another via multiple pathways. The collection of these chemical reactions is known as metabolism.
Plant Metabolism
Sunlight, the primary source of energy in plants, is first absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments present in their leaves. Plants then use this energy to carry out photosynthesis, where water is oxidized into oxygen and carbon dioxide...
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Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism01:19

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Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
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Lipid metabolism is a crucial process in the human body that involves the synthesis and degradation of lipids. This process is essential for energy production, cell membrane formation, and hormone production, among other functions.
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Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

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Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of  ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or  nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
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Overview of Protein Metabolism01:21

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Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which are stored for later use, proteins are not. Instead, amino acids are either used to produce ATP through oxidation or contribute to the creation of new proteins for the growth and repair of the body. Any surplus amino acids from the diet are converted into glucose or triglycerides rather than excreted.
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Micro-scale Engineering for Cell Biology
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Expanding biological applications using cell-free metabolic engineering: An overview.

James R Swartz1

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 95305-4300, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 95305-4300, USA.

Metabolic Engineering
|October 28, 2018
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Summary

Cell-free biology and metabolic engineering are expanding applications by controlling complex biological systems. Combining metabolic engineering with process engineering is key for future sustainable innovations.

Keywords:
Cell-free metabolic engineeringCell-free protein synthesis

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Area of Science:

  • Synthetic biology
  • Metabolic engineering
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Cell-free biology utilizes purified components or crude extracts to study biological fundamentals.
  • Complexity of crude extracts is being managed to enhance biological processes.
  • This approach broadens applications for novel products.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of cell-free metabolic engineering.
  • To highlight examples and insights for future research.
  • To discuss the potential and limitations of current approaches.

Main Methods:

  • Review of cell-free systems using purified components and crude extracts.
  • Analysis of metabolic process activation and inactivation strategies.
  • Integration of metabolic engineering with process engineering.

Main Results:

  • Cell-free systems enable deeper understanding and wider applications of biological processes.
  • Controlled manipulation of metabolic pathways leads to new product possibilities.
  • Significant potential remains untapped in natural and engineered biological systems.

Conclusions:

  • Cell-free metabolic engineering offers vast potential for innovation.
  • Further research is needed to fully unlock the capabilities of these systems.
  • Integration with process engineering is crucial for sustainable applications.