What does coupling mean in biology

Mathematical modeling can provide a platform to classify the strength, directionality, and polarity of coupling while being neutral to exact biological details. Efforts to define coupling in different biological contexts will make it more than just a useful placeholder concept. We aim to cover almost every level of biology where the term coupling is used—from molecular interactions within a single cell up to cell-to-cell interactions as they occur, for example, during somitogenesis.

We explore coupling at higher levels, such as endocrinological interactions among tissues, in vocal production, communication or the process of making music. Finally, we examine inter-community coupling as found in ecological networks. By surveying different contexts of coupling and interpreting them in mathematical terms, we hope to standardize the usage of the term coupling.

For theorists, this will help understand the variety of biological context where the term coupling is used. For experimentalists, this will clarify proper usage of coupling in various instances. This secondary process is also used to store high- energy hydrogen ions in the mitochondria of plant and animal cells for the production of ATP.

The potential energy that accumulates in the stored hydrogen ions is translated into kinetic energy as the ions surge through the channel protein ATP synthase, and that energy is used to convert ADP into ATP. Types of Energy The various types of energy include kinetic, potential, and chemical energy. The potential energy stored in molecules can be converted to chemical energy , which can ultimately be converted to kinetic energy , enabling an organism to move.

Energy associated with objects in motion is called kinetic energy. The jet engines are converting potential energy in fuel to the kinetic energy of movement. This type of potential energy is called chemical energy , and like all potential energy , it can be used to do work. Acetyl CoA to CO2 The citrate will then harvest the remainder of the extractable energy from what began as a glucose molecule and continue through the citric acid cycle.

The Role of Energy and Metabolism All organisms require energy to complete tasks; metabolism is the set of the chemical reactions that release energy for cellular processes.

Plants convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in molecules during the process of photosynthesis. Some of these chemical reactions are spontaneous and release energy , whereas others require energy to proceed.

Energy is needed to perform heavy labor and exercise, but humans also use a great deal of energy while thinking and even while sleeping. Just as energy is required to both build and demolish a building, energy is required for both the synthesis and breakdown of molecules.

When the chemical bonds within ATP are broken, energy is released and can be harnessed for cellular work. The more bonds in a molecule, the more potential energy it contains.

Because the bond in ATP is so easily broken and reformed, ATP is like a rechargeable battery that powers cellular process ranging from DNA replication to protein synthesis. Adenosine triphosphate ATP is comprised of the molecule adenosine bound to three phosphate groups.

Adenosine is a nucleoside consisting of the nitrogenous base adenine and the five-carbon sugar ribose. The three phosphate groups, in order of closest to furthest from the ribose sugar, are labeled alpha, beta, and gamma. Together, these chemical groups constitute an energy powerhouse. The two bonds between the phosphates are equal high-energy bonds phosphoanhydride bonds that, when broken, release sufficient energy to power a variety of cellular reactions and processes.

It has an adenosine backbone with three phosphate groups attached. ATP is a highly unstable molecule. To harness the energy within the bonds of ATP, cells use a strategy called energy coupling.