9. Respiratory Chains and ATP synthesis Flashcards
(99 cards)
What is the average energy requirement of a person?
100W (standard electric lightbulb), required to keep the body running
How does the amount of mitochondria vary between cells?
Muscle/Brain cells have lots, RBCs have none
How may the shape of mitochondria vary?
May form reticular networks or be sausage shaped
What is the name of the inner/outer bits of the mitochondria? What does each contain?
Matrix (inner cytoplasm): contains metabolic enzymes (CAC, AA metab. urea synthesis)
Inner membrane: contains respiratory chain machinery, ATP synthase, highly invaginated
Outer membrane: dunno
Where does the energy for ATP synthesis come from?
Stuff we eat: sugars metabolised to pyruvate, pyruvate oxidised, FA oxidised
What is the name of the pathway that oxidises sugars to pyruvate?
Glycolysis
What is the name of the cycle that oxidises pyruvate to CO2?
Citric acid cycle/TCA cycle/Krebs cycle in the mitochondrial matrix
Where does FA oxidation occur?
Mitochondrial matrix
How is pyruvate transported into the mitochondrial matrix?
OMM has pores to allow pyruvate through, then IMM has pyruvate transporter which allows pyruvate to meet with the TCA enzymes present in the Mitochondrial matrix
Where does glycolysis occur?
in the cytoplasm, release pyruvate and NADH which are needed in the mitochondrial matrix
After pyruvate is imported into the mitochondria matrix, what occurs?
- Acetyl group of pyruvate is attached to CoA to form Acetyl CoA (ACA), NADH is produced
- ACA enters TCA cycle where it is oxidised to CO2 producing 3 more NADH’s
1 Pyruvate –> ACA –> Citrate –> Isocitrate -(NADH OUT)-> alpha-ketoglutarate -(NADH OUT)-> succinate –> fumarate –> malate -(NADH OUT)-> OAA –> Citrate
How is cytosolic NADH imported into the matrix?
The IMM is impermeable to NADH so a malate-aspartate substrate shuttle is used
Describe the process of the malate-aspartate substrate shuttle
- NADH produced in glycolysis converts cytoplasmic OAA into malate
- Malate transported into matrix by anti porter (malate in, alpha keto glutarate out)
- Malate oxidised by malate dehydrogenase (TCA enzyme) which regenerates NADH and produces OAA
- OAA reacts with glutamate to regenerate alpha-keto-glutarate and aspartate
- Aspartate then leaves matrix through second anti porter which simultaneously allows glutamate in
Why is NADH needed for the ETC?
It is electron rich, so is the electron donor
How many NAHD, FADH2 and ATP does one molecule of glucose produce?
1 glucose = 2 pyruvate
Glycolysis: 2 NADH, 2 ATP
Pyruvate Oxidation: 2 NADH
TCA: 6 NADH, 2 FADH2, 2ATP/GTP
Total: 10 NADH, 2 FADH2, 4 ATP from oxidation of one glucose molecule
Total ATP: 34 ATPs
How do mitochondria make ATP?
Electron rich products of glycolysis/PO/TCA (NADH, FADH2) are used as electron donors to pass along ETC, pump protons and reduce O2 to H2O. Proton motive force generated is used to drive ATP synthase
What are the 6 key features of chemiosmotic coupling?
- ETC and ATP synthase embedded in same membrane (IMM)
- IMM is proton impermeable
- ETC has reaction sites in contact with either side of IMM
- Electron transfer results in proton uptake at one side and proton release at the other (pumping)
- Reactions result in pH and charge difference across the IMM
- Protons can pass back across the IMM through ATP synthase, providing energy for ATP synthesis
What is a vectorial redox loop?
A system involving alternating electron transfer components and components which change pkAs and cause proton uptake
What is another name for coenzyme Q?
Ubiquinone (YOO-BICK-WEEN-OWN)
Alternative pronunciation: Ubby-queenie-neenie-oonie-eenie
What is the role of ubiquinone? How does it carry out it’s function (2)?
A hydrogen atom carrier
- Benzene ring of ubiquinone takes up 2e- and causes the pKa’s on it’s two oxygens to change from low to high. This causes proton uptake. Occurs at the quinone reduction site
- Ubiquinol then diffuses across the membrane and reaches the quinoa oxidation site where oxidation occurs and protons are released to IMS
Describe the 4 respiratory chain components
Complex I: NADH:Ubiquinone oxidoreductase - oxidases NADH, 45 subunits
Complex II: Succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase - oxidises succinate, 4 subunits
Complex III: ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase - passes electrons via Cyt C to IV, 11 subunits
Complex IV: Cytochrome C oxidase - converts O2 –> H2O, 13 subunits
Complex V: ATP synthase, 12 subunits
What are the prosthetic groups of each complex?
I: FMN, 8 Fe-S
II: FAD, 3 Fe-S, heme B
III: Fe-S, 2 heme B, heme C
IV: CuA, CuB, 2 heme A
How were the ETC complexes discovered (4)?
- Cell was first lysed, the mitochondria treated with digitonin to rupture them
- Outer membrane fragments were discarded, leaving the inner membrane fragments
- IMM fragments were solubilised with detergent then separated using ion exchange chromatography
- Each complex was separated into a different test tube where in vitro reactions were carried out to find the reactions which the complexes catalysed
What experiment was conducted to determine the rotation of ATP synthase?
His-tagged head group of ATP synthase and stuck to a glass slide. Attached actin filament w’ fluorescent molecules to rotary c ring. Watched actin filament rotate in real time.