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Some activated carrier molecules can transfer both energy and a chemical group to a second molecule. True or False?

User Nickspiel
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Final answer:

The statement is true; carrier molecules like ATP can indeed transfer both energy and chemical groups to other molecules. They are integral to many biological processes, including photosynthesis and cellular respiration, facilitating energy storage and transfer within cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that some activated carrier molecules can transfer both energy and a chemical group to a second molecule is True. An example of such a molecule is adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which not only stores energy in its high-energy phosphate bonds but also transfers phosphate groups to other molecules during cellular reactions.

In the process of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, carrier molecules such as ATP, NADH, and NADPH play a crucial role. These molecules carry energy and sometimes also specific chemical groups, such as phosphate. In photosynthesis, light energy is converted into chemical energy stored in ATP and NADPH, which are then used in the Calvin cycle to synthesize glucose. During cellular respiration, glucose is broken down, and carrier molecules like NADH carry electrons and energy to the electron transport chain to generate ATP.

Another example of group and energy transfer is the bacterial phosphotransferase system, where sugars like glucose are phosphorylated as they enter the cell.

User Randerson
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