Oxidative Phosphorylation Flashcards
Oxidative phosphorylation definition
The metabolic pathway in which cells use enzymes to oxidise nutrients, thereby releasing energy which is used to produce adenosine triphosphate.
Where does oxidative phosphorylation take place?
Inside the mitochondria
What is the normal concentration of AMP in the cell?
5 nM
What reactions happen during low ATP + the significance?
adenylate kinase reactions, which catalyse the addition of two ADPs to form one ATP and one AMP
adenylate kinase acts as an energy scavanger
the increase in AMP concentration highlights that the cell is in energy distress
cytosolic AMP activates AMP-activated protein kinase which upregulates energy generating pathways and suppresses energy consuming ones
Mitochondria structure
contain a double membrane
outer membrane is relatively permeable, due to large, non specific porin channels
highly impermeable inner membrane with highly specific transporters
internal cristae structures to increase membrane surface area
internal matrix space
What tissue has a lot of mitochondria + why?
cardiomyocyte staining shows densely packed mitochondria = 30% of cardiomyocyte cell volume
heart needs more ATP than any other organ in heart
what percentage of total ATP is produced in the different processes?
5% substrate level phosphorylation in glycolysis and TCA
95% oxidative phosphorylation
Two processes in oxidative phosphorylation
- generation of proton gradient- electron transport
- respiration generates a proton gradient across the inner membrane by oxidising hydrogen carriers and transporting electrons. This causes a charge separation, with the matrix side of the membrane become negatively charged. - utilisation of proton and electrical gradient- ADP phosphorylation
- ATP synthesis
What did Mitchell’s theory propose?
- movement of electrons drives proton pumping
- these protons are pumped from the matrix into the inter membrane space
- this creates an electrical and pH gradient across the highly impermeable inner membrane- called the protein motive force
- protons then move down their gradient through the phosphorylation apparatus to drive ATP synthesis
What is the electron transport chain?
a series of protein complexes that transfer electrons from electron donors to electron acceptors via redox reactions and couples this electron transfer with the transfer of protons across a membrane
4 large complexes in the eukaryotic ETC
Complex I - NADH Q Oxidoreductase
Complex II- Succinate Q reductase
Complex III- Q cytochrome c oxidoreductase
Complex IV- Cytochrome c oxidase
What are the 4 complexes linked by?
smaller, mobile intermediates
Ubiquinone linked Complexes I and II onto III
Cytochrome C links complex III onto IV
The synthesis of ATP via the respiratory chain is the result of which two coupled processes?
electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation
What acts as electron donors + why?
FADH2 and NADH, as they have negative redox potentials thus can act as reducing agents and readily donate electrons
What acts as an electron acceptor + why?
oxygen acts as the terminal electron acceptor, as it has a positive redox potential therefore can act as an oxidising agent and readily accept electrons
What changes along the electron transport chain? + importance
There is an increase in electron affinity across the complexes, and they move from a more negative redox potential to a more positive redox potential, which ensures the pull of electrons in one direction
the oxidation/reduction reactions have an increased redox potential
This results in there being a large potential difference and free energy of -220kj/mol
what does the -220kj/mol power?
drives the pumping of protons across the inner membrane
What else does the ETC need to transfer electrons?
a way of facilitating single and double electron transfer:
- iron in iron sulphur clusers
- iron in ham in cytochromes
- copper
these groups allow electron movement through oxidation/reduction reactions
different complexes have different oxidation/reduction centres
the protein environment also influences redox potential
where are iron-sulphur clusters found ? + importance
complexes I, II, III
the fe2+ can be oxidised to Fe3+ with the release of an electron