ELECTRON TRANSPORT

CHAIN

Rian Kasandra S. Corotan

12- STEM Salcedo
ELECTRON TRANSPORT
CHAIN
 electrons move along a series of proteins to generate an
expulsion type force to move hydrogen ions, or protons,
across the mitochondrial membrane.
 last component of aerobic respiration and is the only
part of glucose metabolism that uses atmospheric
oxygen.
 a series of redox reactions in that electrons are passed
rapidly from one component to the next, to the endpoint
of the chain where the electrons reduce molecular
oxygen, producing water.
 ELECTRON TRANSPORT
 embedded in CHAIN
the inner mitochondrial membrane that
shuttles electrons from NADH and FADH2 to molecular
oxygen.
 In the process, protons are pumped from the
mitochondrial matrix to the intermembrane space, and
oxygen is reduced to form water.
 There are four complexes composed of proteins:
 Complex I
 Complex II,
 Complex III and cytochrome c via coenzyme Q
 Complex IV
 These four complexes actively transfer electrons from
an organic metabolite, such as glucose. When the
metabolite breaks down, two electrons and a hydrogen
ion are released and then picked up by the coenzyme
NAD+ to become NADH, releasing a hydrogen ion into
the cytosol.
 occurs in the cristae of the mitochondria, where a series
of cytochromes (enzymes) and coenzymes exist
COMPONENTS OF
THE ELECTRON
TRANSPORT
CHAIN
 COMPLEX I:
NADH-COENZYME Q OXIDOREDUCTASE

 Also known as ubiquinone oxidoreductase

 comprises of NADH dehydrogenase, flavin mononucleotide
(FMN), eight iron-sulfur clusters (Fe-S), and coenzyme Q
(CoQ).
 NADH from earlier cellular respiration stages donates two
electrons to FMN. Each electron donated to FMN is
transferred to the Fe-S, which is transferred to CoQ.
 COMPLEX I:
NADH-COENZYME Q OXIDOREDUCTASE

 During electron transport in Complex I, four (4) protons are

simultaneously transported from the mitochondrial matrix to
the intermembrane space, setting the electrochemical
gradients that drive ATP synthesis in oxidative
phosphorylation.
 Moreover, the change in redox state of the protein in
complex I causes a conformational change which drives
pumping of protons across the inner mitochondrial
membrane.
 COMPLEX II:
SUCCINATE-COENZYME Q OXIDOREDUCTASE

 electron transport in Complex II is not coupled with the transport

of protons from the inner mitochondrial membrane to the
intermembrane space.

 In Complex II, the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase in the inner

mitochondrial membrane reduce FADH2 to FAD+.

 Unlike Complex I, the protons in Complex II are not transported

to the intermembrane space during electron transport. Thus,
Complex II’s contribution to ATP synthesized from oxidative
phosphorylation is considerably less than other complexes.
 COMPLEX III:
CYTOCHROME BC1 OXIDOREDUCTASE
 also called cytochrome oxidoreductase.
 composed of cytochrome b, another Fe-S protein,
Rieske center (2Fe-2S center), and cytochrome c
proteins
 Complex III pumps protons through the membrane and
passes its electrons to cytochrome c for transport to the
fourth complex of proteins and enzymes (cytochrome c
is the acceptor of electrons from Q; however, whereas Q
carries pairs of electrons, cytochrome c can accept only
one at a time).
 Ubiquinone then gets reduced again to QH2, restarting
the cycle. In the process, another hydrogen ion is
released into the cytosol to further create the proton
gradient.
 COMPLEX IV:
CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE
 The last complex in the electron transport chain receives
electrons from Complex III and transfers them to
oxygen, the final electron acceptor in cellular
respiration.
 consists of cytochrome a, cytochrome a3, a copper atom
CuB, and a copper atom pair CuA center, which can
accommodate four electrons, acting as a redox center.
 COMPLEX IV:
CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE
 One oxygen molecule can accept four electrons. For this
reason, four cytochrome c, each carrying one electron
from Complex III, are required to reduce one oxygen
molecule into two water molecules.
 Similar to Complex I and III, two protons (for every two
cytochrome c that is oxidized) from the matrix are
transported across the inner mitochondrial membrane to
the intermembrane space during electron transport.
 IMPORTANCE OF
THE ELECTRON
TRANSPORT CHAIN
The electron transport chain (ETC) is critical to cellular
respiration. It culminates in:
 The generation of the majority of ATP molecules, which
are synthesized during oxidative phosphorylation. The
synthesized ATP molecules are subsequently used in
other energy-consuming activities such as the
biosynthesis of complex macromolecules.
 The complete oxidation of NADH and FADH2, which
resupplies the cellular metabolic pool with NAD+ and
FAD+. Both serve as cofactorsand substrates in various
catabolic and anabolic pathways that contribute to
cellular energy metabolism.
 ETC uses FADH2, NADH, and H+ to yield either 30 or
32 ATP depending on the complexes involved (I, III and
IV or II, III, and IV process).
The electron transport chain (ETC) is critical to cellular
respiration. It culminates in:
 ETC uses FADH2, NADH, and H+ to yield either 30 or
32 ATP depending on the complexes involved (I, III and
IV or II, III, and IV process).
IN SUMMARY: ELECTRON TRANSPORT
CHAIN
• The electron transport chain (ETC) is a group of protein complexes that function in the last
stage of cellular respiration.
• In eukaryotes, the electron transport chain is found in the inner mitochondrial membrane
where each component acts in sequence to catalyze redox reactions, transfer electrons from
their donor to acceptor molecules, and simultaneously transport protons (H+) across the
inner mitochondrial membrane to the intermembrane space.
• This process of transferring electrons via the ETC regenerates nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide (NAD+) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD+) to resupply the metabolic
pool.
• Moreover, the transfer of protons across the membrane also establishes the proton
gradients which provide energy for oxidative phosphorylation that synthesizes adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) for cellular use.
IN SUMMARY: ELECTRON TRANSPORT
CHAIN

The electron transport chain is a group of protein complexes that

facilitate the transfer of electrons in the final stage of cellular
respiration. They catalyze redox reactions that resupply the
cellular NAD+ and FAD+ pool while setting up the
electrochemical potential that is essential for the synthesis of ATP
by oxidative phosphorylation.
IN SUMMARY: ELECTRON TRANSPORT
CHAIN