Mitochondria and chloroplasts Flashcards
What are some of the key structural features of a mitochondrion?
The inner membrane is highly folded to create a high surface area, the intracellular space is called the matrix and the folds are called cristae.
What are some of the key structures of chloroplasts?
The stroma is the intracellular fluid, a granum is a stack of thylakoids, there is an inner and outer membrane with intermembrane space in between.
What is the primary function of both mitochrondria and chloroplasts?
Synthesising ATP.
What do catabolic reactions do in cells?
Release energy that is needed to drive anabolic reactions.
What are anabolic reactions of cells important for in cells?
Growth and repair processes.
What is ATP made up of?
Three phosphate groups, ribose and adenine.
How do cells obtain most of their energy?
Membrane bound mechanisms such as ATP synthase found in the mitochondrial inner membrane, the chloroplast thylakoid membrane and the inner membrane of eubacteria.
What is ATP synthase and how does it work?
It is a membrane protein complex that uses the stored energy of a proton gradient across a membrane to produce ATP from ADP and Pi.
What is F-type ATPase made up of?
An F0 which is integral and an F1 which is peripheral.
What is ATPase?
An enzyme that catalyses the formation of ATP from ADP and Pi.
What is the structure of ATP synthase?
It is a large lollipop-shaped head that is attached through a stalk to the transmembrane carrier for protons.
Which part of the structure is F1 and which is F0?
F1 is the lollipop head and F0 is the stalk embedded.
What is the basic mechanism in which ATP is produced from ATP synthase?
As protons pass through the carrier, the stalk spins which induces the head to produce ATP.
How is energy created from protons moving through the ATP synthase?
Stored energy is converted to mechanical energy due to movement of the stalk. This mechanically deforms the F1 subunit. This conformational change energy is then converted into a chemical bond.
What is the stored energy, in the form of a proton gradient, made up of?
The difference in voltage across the membrane and the difference in proton concentration across the membrane.
