1. Module 5 Intro

1.37. Page 4

Lesson 7

Module 5—Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

Read

 

© Khabirov Ruslan/shutterstock

Metabolic Toxins

 

What are metabolic toxins? They are chemicals that impair or disrupt metabolic pathways. As you have studied in Module 5, both photosynthesis and cellular respiration are metabolic pathways. A metabolic toxin will target the function of chloroplasts or mitochondria.

 

Science has moved technology toward creating pesticides and herbicides that interfere with the metabolic processes of organisms and ultimately cause death. Scientists must use the scientific process to determine harmful effects on humans and desired effects on pests and weeds. Metabolic toxin research may also help scientists discover ways to inhibit cancer cell growth by creating toxins that specifically inhibit cellular respiration in cancer cell mitochondrion that cause the cancer cells to die.

 

Try This

 

TR 1. The Effects of Metabolic Toxins on Cellular Respiration

 

In this investigation you will be choosing one of the following metabolic toxins to investigate:

  • antimycin
  • cyanide
  • hydrogen sulfide
  • malonate
  • oligomycin
  • rotenone
  • arsenic

You may have heard of arsenic or cyanide, and you may know that they are poisonous to humans as well.

 

You will be completing “Thought Lab 5.3” on page 189 of the textbook. You will be asked to research a metabolic toxin and create a Metabolic Toxin Profile based on the information you have collected. You can present the profile in a variety of formats such as slide show, poster, report, or podcast. You must, however, include an introductory paragraph that summarizes the results of your research. Post your profile in the discussion area so that other students can view your research results. You will be constructing a comparison chart between the toxin you chose to research and two toxins that other students have researched and posted in the discussion area. You will also be asked to complete analysis questions as well.

 

This activity and how you will be marked on it is outlined in your Assignment.

 

Discuss

 

Don’t forget to post your Metabolic Toxin Profile to the discussion area. Also be sure to read other postings so that you can complete your comparison chart.