Qatar University Cellular Respiration Discussion

BIOLOGY 101 Problem Based Learning Question

 Cellular respiration (2.5 pts)

One page report (2 pts):

From the mock assignment, you have learned that cellular respiration is key for good health. In this problem based learning question, contrast the differences and similarities of the mechanisms that control cellular respiration between a healthy athlete and an obese person by reading all the references provided below.

Reference:

1- White adipose tissue mitochondrial metabolism in health and in obesity;

doi.org/10.1111/obr.12958

Key points to remember during online team discussions:

a. Discuss similarities and differences in proteins involved in cellular respiration (e.g.citrate synthase, oxidative phosphorylation proteins).

b. Would you expect Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor Gamma co-activator1 alpha (PGC-1?) signaling to be affected?

c. Would you expect gene activity of other cellular enzymes to change in obese patients (e.g. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase which converts Acetyl-CoA into malonyl-CoA during lipogenesis)?

d. Would you expect other cellular pathways to affect mitochondrial function in obese patients?

e. Make a link of your findings with the mock assignment, and propose an effective treatment for obesity.

Rubric for leaders of the groups:

- Selected group leaders must schedule 2 online discussion sessions with team members to revise lecture concepts and to discuss read papers in order to address the PBLQs.

- Team leaders must take attendance of the team members, and send the Excel sheet with the names of attendees to the course instructor (0.5 pts).

- Team leaders should monitor both discussions, answer student questions, and refer to the knowledge acquired from the mock assignment.

- In case there are unanswered questions, team leaders should make note of these questions and bring to class for further discussion.