Electron Transport Chain Flashcards
What do the cristae of the mitochondria contain?
Enzymes of electron transport chain and ATP synthesis
Mitochondrial Genome
Genome small and circular
Encodes only 13 proteins of respiratory chain
How are mitochondrial mutations inherited?
Inherited exclusively in maternal manner
Mothers pass any mitochondrial mutation to all their children
Fathers do not transmit the mutation
Electron Transport Chain
Sequence of electron carriers found on cristae of the inner mitochondrial membrane
Electrons pass from carrier to carrier - carrier becomes reduced as electrons are accepted and re-oxidized as electrons pass to next carrier in line
Energy released as heat
Some energy trapped through synthesis of ATP
What are the 2 families of iron containing proteins?
- Cytochromes
- Iron-Sulfur Proteins
What do cytochromes contain? What happens to associated iron ion?
Heme prosthetic group
Associated ion reversibly oxidized and reduced - flips between Fe2+ and Fe3+
What do iron-sulfur proteins contain?
Iron-Sulfur Centers from complex III of respiratory chain
Coenzyme Q
Non-protein electron carrier
Also known as ubiquinone
Lipid soluble
Can be reduced in stages
Give overview of electron transport chain
- Electrons pass from NADH through Complex I to Coenzyme Q
- Electrons pass from Coenzyme Q to Complex III
- Electrons pass from Complex III to cytochrome c
- Electrons from cytochrome c pass to Complex IV
- Complex IV uses electrons to reduce oxygen to water
How does reduction potential change in electron transport chain? Why?
Reduction potential of each complex is higher than preceding complex
Free energy released by electron transfer trapped by pumping protons from matrix into intermembrane space
How are complex I, III, and IV arranged in membrane?
Vectorial Arrangement
Electrons and protons received on matrix side and protons release on intermembrane space side
Proton electrochemical gradient
Inner membrane of mitochondria is highly impermeable to protons, but minor proton leak creats electrochemical gradient
Chemical - Higher proton conc in intermembrane space than in matrix
Electrical - outer face of inner membrane becomes positive with respect to matrix face
Potential energy from driving H+ back to matrix used to make ATP
ATP synthase
F0 spans membrane - form proton pore so protons can go back into matrix
F1 projects into matrix and catalyzes phosphorylation of ADP to ATP
Proton entry coupled to rotation of F1
What inhibits ATP synthase?
Oligomycin - blocks proton channel
Complex I of Electron Transport Chain
NADH:Coenzyme Q oxidoreductase
Contains several FMN containing proteins and iron-sulfur proteins
Catalyzes reaction of
NADH + H+ + Coenzyme Q –> NAD+ + Coenzyme Q-H2