Purchase Solution

Plants ability to overcome cyanide poisoning

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

The presence of low levels of cyanide arrests cellular respiration in animals, yet has little or no effect on plants. Explain how plants are able to overcome the effect of cyanide poisoning.

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

The plants ability to overcome cyanide poisoning is examined. Low levels of cyanide arrests cellular respiration in animals is analyzed.

Solution Preview

Cyanide (KCN, hydrogen cyanide, prussic acid, or cyanohydric acid) is a molecule containing carbon and nitrogen joined by a triple bond. The molecule is capable of chelating the iron from heme in the cytochrome complex. Cyanide is rarely found in natural environments at concentrations sufficient to impact respiration. However, researchers have known that cyanide can cause death in mammals since the mid-1700's. Mammals with cyanide poisoning (concentrations above 0.5 mg/kg body weight) are unable to release oxygen from hemoglobin and show symptoms of respiratory distress, paralysis, and coma. Cyanide is a potent irreversible inhibitor of heme in cytochrome c oxidase and concentrations as low as 1 mM can reduce overall Vmax activity to 1% of maximal activity. Since cytochrome c ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Pregnancy Knowledge

How much do you know about being pregnant? Test your Pregnancy IQ with this quiz!

Vision and Oculomotor Control

This quiz will test the student's knowledge of the neural underpinnings of the visual system and its central pathways.

BioChemistry Basics

This Quiz will test your knowledge of the amino acids used in biological systems

Biochemistry Basics

A refresher quiz to test your knowledge of basics concepts of biochemistry.

Feeding Babies

Do you know the science behind feeding babies? Test your knowledge with this quiz.