respiration in mung beans experiment

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• Plant Physiol
• v.86(1); 1988 Jan

Growth and Mitochondrial Respiration of Mungbeans ( Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) Germinated at Low Pressure 1

Mungbean ( Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) seedlings were grown hypobarically to assess the effects of low pressure (21-24 kilopascals) on growth and mitochondrial respiration. Control seedlings grown at ambient pressure (101 kilopascals) were provided amounts of O 2 equivalent to those provided experimental seedlings at reduced pressure to factor out responses to O 2 concentration and to total pressure. Respiration was assayed using washed mitochondria, and was found to respond only to O 2 concentration. Regardless of total pressure, seedlings grown at 2 millimoles O 2 per liter had higher state 3 respiration rates and decreased percentages of alternative respiration compared to ambient (8.4 millimoles O 2 per liter) controls. In contrast, seedling growth responded to total pressure but not to O 2 concentration. Seedlings were significantly larger when grown under low pressure. While low O 2 (2 millimoles O 2 per liter) diminished growth at ambient pressure, growth at low pressure in the same oxygen concentration was enhanced. Respiratory development and growth of mungbean seedlings under low pressure is unimpaired whether oxygen or air is used as the chamber gas, and further, low pressure can improve growth under conditions of poor aeration.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (849K), or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References .

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Fig. 1 on p.20

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

• Krikorian AD, O'Connor SA. Karyological observations. Ann Bot. 1984 Nov; 54 (Suppl 3):49–63. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leopold AC, Musgrave ME. Respiratory changes with chilling injury of soybeans. Plant Physiol. 1979 Nov; 64 (5):702–705. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Siedow JN, Bickett DM. Binding of butyl gallate to isolated mung bean mitochondria : relationship to inhibition of the alternative pathway. Plant Physiol. 1983 Jun; 72 (2):339–344. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Slocum RD, Gaynor JJ, Galston AW. Cytological and ultrastructural studies on root tissues. Ann Bot. 1984 Nov; 54 (Suppl 3):65–76. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

Using Mung Beans in the Lab

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Age Ranges:

Mung beans are cheap, reliable and easy to germinate, and offer a useful way to look at the germination process.

• Plant growth : Using hydroponics to explore what plants need to grow. Resource:  What do plants need to grow?
• Enzymes : Resource:  Phosphatase enzymes in plants
• Idea : Explore whether bean roots always grow downwards
• Idea : Investigate the effect of light on growing seedlings
• Idea : Investigate the effect of water on growing seeedlings
• Idea : Observing sprouting mung bean  root hair  cells

Teaching Topics

• Plant Growth
• Plant Nutrition
• Hydroponics

Description

Mung Beans,  Vigna radiata

Mung beans are legumes (members of the  Fabaceae  family), and are most commonly used in the UK for growing nutritious bean sprouts. Mung beans are annuals, growing up to about 1m in height. The first flowers appear seven to eight weeks after planting and the crop reaches maturity in 12 to 14 weeks. The mung bean plant comes originally from India, but is now widespread throughout the tropics.

Growing and sourcing

Obtaining : Buy fresh seeds from suppliers including Blades Biological. Seeds must be fresh to germinate.

Propagating : Germinate from seeds. This  video  demonstrates the germination of mung beans with both  cotyledons  and roots visible. As demonstrated in the film, mung beans can be planted in a clear tank using a seed compost to observe root formation.

Compost : Use a  seed compost  for germinating these seeds.

Light : Light is needed only once the cotyledons are ready to open. A windowsill is suitable.

Water : Keep damp without soaking.

Temperature : A warm room is suitable.

Feeding : There’s no need to feed these seedlings.

Notes : Look out for signs of ‘Damping-off” in your seedlings.

• Agriculture and farming
• Cells and tissues
• Nutrient cycles
• Photosynthesis
• Plant growth
• Plant nutrition
• Plant reproduction
• Plant responses
• Respiration
• Plants in the Science Curriculum

Related content

Teaching resources.

• Student Sheet 5 - Investigating Seed Germination
• How Science Works - What do plants need to grow?
• Using Broad Beans in the Lab
• Engage your students with enzymes

Respiration ( OCR A Level Biology )

Topic questions.

ATP can be produced in various ways. Each stage of respiration contributes to the production of ATP.

Describe the production of ATP by substrate-level phosphorylation in different stages of respiration with reference to the number of ATP molecules produced.

How did you do?

Glucose and other carbohydrates are present in respiring cells. The concentrations of carbohydrate molecules vary between tissues. A student conducted tests on three tissues, A , B and C . Table 2 shows the results of these tests. 

Two of the tissues were known to be phloem tissue and liver tissue.

Use the evidence in Table 2 to identify which tissue, A , B or C , is phloem and which tissue is liver. Explain your answer.

Cells can use fatty acids instead of carbohydrates as respiratory substrates. A process called beta oxidation is used to break down fatty acids to acetyl CoA for use in respiration. Fig. 2 shows a simplified example of beta oxidation. 

Using the information in Fig. 2, calculate the percentage of carbon atoms in the fatty acid that are able to enter the Krebs cycle.

The percentage of carbon atoms that a reaction makes available for use in the Krebs cycle can be described as the efficiency of the reaction.

Calculate the efficiency of the link reaction . Using your answer to part ( i ), state whether the link reaction is more, less or equally efficient when compared to the reactions described in Fig. 2.

Show your working.

Fig. 2 shows the role of coenzyme A in beta oxidation.

Suggest a role for coenzymes other than coenzyme A in beta oxidation.

Did this page help you?

Honeypot ants belong to several different genera. Some specialised individuals are used as food storage vessels. These individuals have swollen abdomens that store various foods, which can be given to members of the colony when required.

One such individual is shown in Fig. 1.

An investigation was carried out into the respiratory substrate of three different genera of honeypot ant, by measuring oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production.

The data are shown in Table 1.

Use the data in Table 1 to suggest the likely diet of each genus of honeypot ant.

Justify your answer.

Chitin is a polysaccharide found in insects. It is used to form the hard outer casing of their bodies.

Fig. 2 shows the chemical structure of chitin.

Using information from Fig. 2, state two similarities and two differences between the structures of chitin and glycogen.

Insects use glucose to generate ATP.

Outline the processes involved in the generation of ATP through chemiosmosis.

A group of students set up a simple respirometer, as shown in Fig. 1 , and used it to determine the rate of respiration in germinating mung beans.

• They placed a small muslin bag of soda lime into the syringe and then added five germinating mung beans, which were held in place with the syringe plunger.
• The students measured the movement of the red fluid in the capillary tube.
• After each set of readings the plunger was reset to return the fluid to its original position.

The results are shown in Table 1 .

Give one limitation of using this method to investigate respiration rate.

Read the procedure carefully. Identify one variable that had not been controlled in this experiment and suggest an improvement to control that variable.

Describe how you would add the red fluid to the capillary tube at the start of the experiment.

The data shows an anomalous result at 60 seconds. Explain why the result is considered to be anomalous and describe one correct way of dealing with this type of result.

Using the data the student obtained, calculate the mean rate of respiration for germinating mung beans between 90 and 150 seconds. 

What additional information would be needed to calculate:

The group of students wanted to find out if the rate of respiration of a small invertebrate animal was comparable to that of the mung beans. Adapt the procedure used to investigate the respiration rate of a small invertebrate, such as a woodlouse or caterpillar, with that of mung beans. Comment on the results you might expect from this experiment and the conclusions you might draw.

Suggest and explain what conclusions can be drawn from Fig. 2 about the factors that affected the rate and type of respiration carried out by S. cerevisiae in this batch culture.

Describe two practical considerations to ensure the S. cerevisiae population grows successfully when the initial culture is established.

They carried out the following two dilutions:

• 1 cm 3 of the original solution was mixed with 9 cm 3 of nutrient solution to make solution 2.
• 1 cm 3 of solution 2 was mixed with 9 cm 3 of nutrient solution to make solution 3.

The scientists transferred 0.1 cm 3 of solution 3 onto an agar plate. 15 separate colonies grew on the plate.

Calculate the number of yeast cells in the original 25 cm 3 solution.

Express your answer in standard form to three significant figures. Show your working.

A group of students were designing an experiment to investigate the effect of temperature on the respiration rate of S. cerevisiae.

Their planned method included the following:

• S. cerevisiae yeast suspension will be divided into six equal volumes to form the experimental groups.
• Six temperatures will be tested: 15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C and 40 °C.
• Beakers of S. cerevisiae will be placed in water baths to control the temperature.
• Respiration rate will be measured by using a pH probe to monitor changes in the pH of the suspensions.
• The experiment will be repeated four times.

Evaluate whether the students’ method is likely to produce valid results.

The students used a Student’s t -test to compare the results at 30 °C and 35 °C.

They calculated a t value of 2.200.

The critical value for p = 0.05 is 2.306.

Assuming their final method was valid, what can the students conclude from the result of the t -test?

Part of the body’s response ‘fight or flight’ is to run away from the threat. Prolonged vigorous exercise puts high demands on the body’s metabolism.

The muscle cells require an adequate supply of oxygen for respiration. If insufficient oxygen is available, the cells must respire anaerobically.

Fig. 2 outlines the process of anaerobic respiration in muscle cells.

Identify the compounds labelled D and E in Fig. 2.

What is the role of compound D in anaerobic respiration?

Why is it important that compound G is formed during the reaction in which compound D is converted into compound E in anaerobic respiration?

Compound E is toxic and is removed from the muscle cell. It is transported to an organ in the body.

Which organ is compound E transported to and how does it reach this organ?

Athletic sprinters require large amounts of energy in short periods of time. Many elite sprinters can run 100 metre races in under 10 seconds. Under normal conditions, exercise requires an increased rate of breathing. It has been observed that some of the best sprinters only take one breath at the start of the race and do not inhale again until the end of the race. Suggest how these sprinters can expend so much energy without needing to carry out aerobic respiration.