The Effect of Temperature Against the Cellular Respiration of Yeasts

(Saccharomyces Cerevisiae).1

Cynara C. Alger
Group 1 U 7L

September 13, 2013

____________________________

A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirments in General

Biology I laboratory under Prof. Riaflor Alcabedos, 1st semester, 2013-2014.

INTRODUCTION

Cellular respiration is the term used to describe the breaking down of

sugars by the cells and use it to produce energy. It is the process in which a sugar, such as
glucose, is converted to energy usually in the form of ATP and synthesizes Carbon
Dioxide and water as by-products. The process of respiration is divided into two kinds
depending on the use of oxygen present. These are the Aerobic respiration, and the
anaerobic respiration.
Aerobic respiration is the kind of respiration that uses oxygen in the
process of breaking down sugars. It is the process in which the cells of the organism use
oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain thus, producing
water. This kind of respiration yields the greatest amount of ATP compared to its
counterpart.
Anaerobic respiration, usually named as Fermentation, is the degradation
of sugars without the use of oxygen. This is used mostly by microorganisms, however it
is also present on aerobes if its cell receives insufficient amount of oxygen. In this
process, the sugar undergoes glycolysis, but it does not proceed to the Krebs cycle due to
insufficiency of oxygen. Then, the pyruvate either undergo the lactic acid cycle, in which
carbon dioxide is not produced, or the Alcoholic Fermentation, in which it yields ethanol
and releases carbon dioxide.
Factors, affecting the rate of fermentation are the kind of organism and the
temperature the solution is put. As all organisms undergo, if the temperature increases,

the organism tend to metabolize faster, but in colder regions, they slow the process to
prevent excess use of energy to be used for future use.
The organism yeast is an example of a facultative anaerobe, which means
that it can undergo both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. It is used in production of
many food products. It also helps in producing a distinct flavour that makes the food
more palatable. In order to produce a fermenting result, the yeast solution must be sealed
properly in order for the yeast to be isolated.
The question arises if the rate of anaerobic respiration of yeast is affected
by its environmental temperature. Thus, coming up with the question, Does the
temperature of the environment of an organism affect its rate of respiration?
The specific objectives of the experiment were
1. To determine the effect of temperature on the rate of respiration of
yeasts, and
2. To explain the mechanism why temperature may affect the rate of
respiration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The smith fermentation tube method will be used to determine the effect of
temperature on the rate of cellular respiration of yeast. Three smith tubes will be needed.
First, each tube will be filled with 15 ml of distilled water and 15 ml of fructose at 10%
concentration as the substrate. Then 15 ml of 10% yeast suspension will be added. The
tubes will then be immediately plugged with cotton balls to prevent oxygen from
participating in the respiration, as shown in Figure 1. The amount of the solutions, type of
substrate, and the concentrations will be the controlled variables. On the other hand, the
experimental variable will be the temperature. In set up A, the tube will be soaked in a
beaker filled with ice cold water, set up B in a beaker with boiling water, while set up C
will only be left at room temperature. All set ups will be observed for thirty minutes. The
height of the area occupied by carbon dioxide will be measured every five minutes.

Figure 1. Smith fermentation tube assembly

After thirty minutes, the final height of the carbon dioxide evolved will be
marked. The volume of carbon dioxide will be computed by using the formula:
2

V = r h

where: V= volume of carbon dioxide

r = radius of the smith tube
h = final height of carbon dioxide at thirty minutes
The rate of cellular respiration in each set up will be obtained by dividing the volume of
carbon dioxide by the time the final height was measured. A graph comparing the rates of
cellular respiration of yeast in different temperatures will be plotted and analyzed.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

Set up A

Set up B

Set up C

A smith tube containing:

A smith tube containing:

A smith tube containing:

15 ml distilled water

15 ml distilled water

15 ml distilled water

15 ml 10% concentration
fructose

15 ml 10% concentration
fructose

15 ml 10% concentration
fructose

15 ml 10% yeast
suspension

15 ml 10% yeast
suspension

15 ml 10% yeast
suspension

Soak in a beaker with

water and ice

Soak in a beaker with

boiling water

Leave it at room
temperature

Measure the height of

bubbles formation every
five minutes

Mark the final height at

thirty minutes

Calculate the volume of

carbon dioxide and then the
rate of cellular respiration

Table 6.1. The change in height of the different tubes in different temperatures for 30
minutes.

Time(Minutes)

Smith Fermentation tubes at different temperatures

Tube A
Tube B
Tube C
C
C
C

0
5
10
15
20
25
30

Table 6.2. The volume of carbon dioxide that evolved for each tubes that were used.
Tubes

Tube A
C
Tube B
C
Tube C
C

Volume of carbon dioxide

that evolved
(cm3

1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
Respirator A

0.5

Respirator B

0.4

Respirator C

0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Tube A

Tube B

Tube C

Figure 6.1. A bar graph showing the different rates of cellular respiration of each tube
used.