The Evolution of the Bioenergetic Processes

Foreword

Foreword to the Revised Reprint


1. Energy in the Biosphere

(a) Life and Work

(b) Energy and Entropy in the Biosphere

(c) Heat as a Source of Work?

(d) Organisms as Chemodynamical Machines

(e) Dynamic States of Organisms

(f) Active Transport


2. Bioenergetics and Evolution

(a) Classes of Bioenergetic Processes

(b) Genotype and Phenotype

(c) Gene Transfer and Evolution

(d) Processes and Substances

(e) Bioenergetics and Classification


3. Early Conditions on the Earth

(a) Formation of the Planets

(b) Age Determinations

(c) The Secondary Terrestrial Atmosphere

(d) Conditions on Earth-like Planets


4. Origin of Life

(a) The Concepts of Oparin and Haldane

(b) Organic Matter in Space and in Meteorites

(c) Abiosynthesis on the Early Earth

(d) The Primeval Soup

(e) Formation of Macromolecules


5. Eobionts and Organisms

(a) From Eobionts to Cells

(b) Coacervates and Microspheres

(c) The Origin of the Genetic Code

(d) Considerations about Self-Organization

(e) Acquisition of Enzymes

(f) Loss of Functions

(g) The Origin of Optical Activity


6. Energy-Rich Compounds

(a) The Adenylic Acid System

(b) Energetic Coupling

(c) The Origin of Energy-Rich Compounds


7. Fermentation

(a) The Simplest Extant Organisms

(b) Clostridia

(c) Glycolysis

(d) Hydrogen Fermentations

(e) Methane Formers

(f) The Pentose Phosphate Pathway

(g) Storage Materials


8. Bacterial Photosynthesis in General

(a) A Critical Stage for Life

(b) The Overall Role of Phototrophy

(c) The Role of Chlorophyll

(d) The Photosynthetic Unit

(e) Cyclic Photophosphorylation. Electron Flow

(f) Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation

(g) Origin of Photosynthesis

(h) Early Mechanisms


9. Photoorganotrohpy

(a) Non-Sulphur Purple Bacteria

(b) Reducing Power and ATP


10. Assimilation of Carbon Dioxide

(a) Availability of CO2

(b) Absorption of CO2 by Fermenters

(c) Anaerobic CO2 Assimilation in the Dark

(d) Reductive Carboxylic Acid Cycle

(e) Reductive Pentose Phosphate Cycle


11. Photolithotrophy

(a) Reducing Power from Inorganic Substances

(b) Purple and Green Sulphur Bacteria


12. Plant Photosynthesis

(a) Water as a Source of Electrons

(b) The Z Scheme

(c) The Origin of the Serial Process

(d) Non-Cyclic and Cyclic Photophosphorylation

(e) Absolute Quantum Yields

(f) Blue-Green and Other Algae

(g) Return to Older Processes


13. Respiration in General

(a) Use of Oxygen

(b) The Concept of Respiration

(c) The Citric Acid Cycle

(d) The Respiratory Chain


14. Aerobic Respiration of Prokaryotes

(a) Respiration of Blue-Green Algae

(b) Protection Against Oxygen

(c) Oxygen in Bacterial Energy Metabolism

(d) The Origin of Bacterial Respiration

(e) The Conversion Hypothesis

(f) The Origin of the Aerobes

(g) The Gliding "Bacteria"


15. Chemolithotrophy

(a) General Features

(b) Colourless Sulphur Bacteria

(c) Nitrificants

(d) Hydrogen Oxidizing Bacteria and Algae

(e) Oxidizers of C1 Compounds

(f) The Origin of the Chemolithotrophs


16. Bactrial Anaerobic Respiration

(a) Nitrate and Sulphate Respirers

(b) Sulphureta

(c) The Origin of the Nitrate Respirers

(d) The Origin of the Sulphate Respirers

(e) Carbonate Respirers?


17. A Scheme for Prokaryotic Evolution

(a) General Features

(b) Special Features


18. Eukaryotes and their Organelles

(a) Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

(b) Intracellular Organelles

(c) Mitochondria

(d) Aerobic and Anaerobic Yeast

(e) Nuclei

(f) Peroxisomes

(g) Chloroplasts


19. Origin of Mitochondria and Chloroplasts

(a) Mitochondria as Semi-Autonomous Genetic Systems

(b) Mitochondria as Endosymbionts

(c) Chloroplasts as Semi-Autonomous Genetic Systems

(d) Chloroplasts as Endosymbionts

(e) Events Leading to Symbiosis

(f) The Role of the Peroxisome

(g) Chloroplasts in Evolution

(h) Some Objections Against the Endosymbiotic Hypothesis


20. Energy Supply of Protozoa and Fungi

(a) Protozoa

(b) Fungi


21. Relationship of the Bioenergetic Processes in Plants, Animals and Fungi

(a) Plants and Animals

(b) Position of the Fungi


22. Bioenergetics of Tissues

(a) Differentiation and Energetics

(b) Transition to Life on Land

(c) Energetics of Plant Tissue

(d) Photorespiration

(e) Energetics of Animal Tissues

(f) Effects of Anaerobiosis


23. Palaeontological Evidence

(a) Microfossils and Stromatolites

(b) Macrofossils


24. Geological Evidence

(a) Inorganic Palaeochemistry

(b) Organic Palaeochemistry


25. History of Atmospheric Oxygen

(a) Oxygen in the Secondary Atmosphere

(b) The Rise of Photosynthesis and of Respiration

(c) The Stationary Concentration of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

(d) Carbon and Oxygen Inventory in the Biosphere

(e) Influence of Man

Appendix

References

Additional References

Subject Index

Latin Names of Organisms