Mitochondria, Cholorplasts, and Peroxisomes Flashcards
What is mitochondria the site of?
Metabolic energy generated in the form of ATP by the breakdown of carbohydrates and lipids through the process of oxidative phosphorylation.
What reinforces the theory of endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria?
The presence of mitochondrial DNA.
Rickettsia sp. is an intracellular parasitic proteobacteria whose genome has many similarities to mitochondrial genomes.
What is the function of the outer membrane of mitochondria? What is its composition?
Outer membrane defines the outer perimeter of the mitochondria. Contains porins (specialized proteins that form transmembrane channels permeable to all molecules below a size of 10kDa) and has a similar composition to the plasma membrane.
What is the function of the inner membrane? What is its composition?
Primary site of ATP production by oxidative metabolism and is the only effective permeability barrier between the matrix and cytoplasm.
- Contains cardiolipins, which are specialized phospholipids with 4 fatty acyl tails that decrease permeability of the inner membrane to protons.
- 80% protein by weight.
- contains cristae (folds of the inner membrane) .
What is the function of the innermembrane space? What is its composition?
Proteins in the innermembrane space are used for protein import and export as well as other mitochondrial functions.
Has a similar composition to the cytoplasm.
What is the function of the matrix? What is its composition?
Contains the majority of enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism and is the site of mitochondrial DNA, RNA, and proteins synthesis.
Has a 50% protein solution and a higher pH and negative charge relative to the cytoplasm.
What are the characteristics of the mitochondrial genome? (3)
- located in the matrix
- circular DNA with one origin of replication.
- all genes are transcribed at the same time (polycistronic)
- maternally inherited
How do mitochondria in cells adjust to meet changing energy demands?
Variation in shape and intracellular organization
How are mitochondria organized? How can this organization be altered?
Organized into networks which can be altered by changing the number of mitochondria, their size, and their location.
How do mitochondria arise?
Through fission (division) and/or fusion of pre-existing mitochondria.
What does fusion allow for?
Allows mitochondria to share genetic material and proteins, and to increase in size.
Why is fission important ? (2 reasons)
- to distribute mitochondria evenly to daughter cells during cell division
- increase the number of mitochondria in a cell when more energy is needed.
What does continual fusion and fission allow for?
Mitochondria to modify their morphology within the cell.
What does mitochondrial division (fission) require? (5 things)
- DNA replication
- RNA synthesis
- membrane generation via phospholipid transfer from the smooth ER
- protein synthesis within mitochondria
- protein importation from cytoplasm
What is catabolism?
The breakdown of large, complex molecules into smaller, simpler molecules with release of chemical energy.
What is the energy released from catabolism used for?
Majority of the energy is captured predominantly by ATP to form phosphoanhydride bonds (high energy phosphate bonds)
What is the standard free energy change for ATP hydrolysis?
-7.3kcal/mole
What are the concentrations of ATP, ADP, and Pi in a typical cell?
ATP: 10mM
ADP: 10mM
Pi: 1mM
How much ATP does the oxidation of a glucose molecule yield?
38 ATPs (net)
How much more energy/gram does fat produce vs sugar?
2.5X more energy/gram
How much ATP does the oxidation of NADH and FADH2 yield?
NADH: 3 ATP
FADH2: 2 ATP
What occurs when NAD+ is reduced to NADH? What happens when NADH is oxidized?
When reduced it accepts both a proton (H+) and 2 electrons.
When oxidized it releases a proton and 2 electrons.