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Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Oxidative Phosphorylation
It is the process by which electrons are carried from reduced cofactors (NADH+/ QH2) are finalled in stepwise manner to oxygen. Electrons flow much like electricity in a circuit with free energy being conserved with the formation of proton gradient. In the end the investment of reduced cofactors are utilized in the production of ATP
Oxidative Phosphorylation
Reduced cofactors like NADH+ are produced during Glycolysis, Citric acid cycle and fatty acid oxidation During cellular respiration oxidative Phosphorylation chemical energy of these reduced molecules are utilized to produce ATP
The ultimate acceptor of e- through a series of O/R reactions is the O2 within the mitochondrion
Mitochondrial Anatomy
The anatomy of the mitochondrion reflects its role in oxidative Phosphorylation The outer membrane is porous and allows the free diffusion of molecules due to the presence of channel protein called porins The inner membrane is impermeable to most substances including ions and encloses a space called the matrix The inner membrane is convoluted structure which provides greater surface area for the protein complexes of the oxidative Phosphorylation
Mitochondrial Anatomy
The mitochondrion consists two membranes separated by a compartment called the intermembrane space During oxidative Phosphorylation protons are pumped into this compartment
cristae
Inner mitochondrial membrane is impermeable to most molecules, NADH+ produced by Glycolysis in the cytosol must be imported into via biochemical reaction of the malate aspartate shuttle operates mainly in the liver, kidney and heart
Transport Shuttles
In the skeletal muscle & brain NADH+ is imported into by Glycerol phosphate shuttle
The process is a formal currency exchange between one region of the cell with the other. ATP, ADP and Pi also require transport protein
Oxidative Phosphorylation
In the respiratory chain the e- s are transferred from reducing equivalents to a chain of e- carriers which are arranged sequentially The e- s flow from more electropositive components to more electronegative components i.e. to more positive Redox potentials Hydrogen and e- s move from NAD+/NADH to O2/ H2O
of inner membrane These complexes function in re oxidizing the coenzymes ( NAD+/ ubiquinone, e- transferring flavoprotein) that have been reduced by dehydrogenases in the metabolic reactions within the mitochondrion The terminal e- acceptor is O2 & the reaction is coupled to ATP synthesis
Components of Respiratory chain The respiratory chain consists of number of Redox carriers proceeding from NAD linked dehydrogenases through flavoprotein and cytochrome to molecular oxygen Certain substrates (fumarate/ Succinate) comparatively of their more positive Redox potential are directly linked to flavoprotein Dehydrogenase further linked to cytochrome to molecular oxygen
Components of Respiratory chain Ubiquinone (Q/ Coenzyme Q) links flavoprotein to Cytochrome b (member of cytochrome chain with lowest Redox potential)
Ubiquinone acts as a mobile component of the respiratory chain that collects reducing equivalents from more fixed flavoproteins and passes them to cytochromes
The terminal cytochrome aa3 (cytochrome oxidase) is responsible for the final combination of reducing equivalents with molecular oxygen.
This is the only irreversible reaction in the chain and hence provides direction to the movement of reducing equivalents & to the production of ATP to which it is coupled
Summary In simple outline, ETC involves the removal of hydrogen atoms from the oxidizable substrates; these hydrogen atoms enter the ETC, a system of membrane bound complexes and each soon split to yield a proton and electron. These electrons then pass through a series of cytochromes, finally reacting with molecular oxygen and the protons that were released earlier, to form water
Ubiquinone
Lipid soluble bezoquinone with a long isoprenoid side chain Complete reduction of ubiquinone requires 2 electrons and 2 protons ( a 2 step rxn) through semiquinone as an intermediate As it carries both e- & protons , acts in coupling electron flow to proton movement It always acts at the junction between 2 e- donor and one electron acceptor
O CH3O CH3 CH3 CH3O O (CH2 CH C CH3O O CH3 CH3 CH3O O (CH2 CH C CH2)nH
CH2)nH
coenzyme Q
coenzyme Q
e + 2 H+
OH CH3O CH3 CH3 CH3O OH (CH2 CH C CH2)nH
coenzyme QH2
Complex II
Also called as Succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Succinate to ubiquinone) It is the only membrane bound enzyme (succinate dehydrogenase) encountered in citric acid cycle Structurally it is simpler than complex I with 2 types of prosthetic groups & 4 different proteins One of the protein is bound covalently to FAD & Fe- S center with 4 Fe atoms Electrons pass from succinate to FAD; through Fe S centers finally reaching ubiquinone
Q bc1 FeS
Proton pump
ATP Synthase
P/O Ratio