Respiratory chain Oxidative phosphorylation

Oxidative phosphorylation, respiratory chain phosphorylation formation of ATP coupled with the operation of the Respiratory chain (see). Energy available from the flow of electrons from substrate to oxygen via the respiratory chain drives the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. Oxidation of one molecule of reduced nicotinamide... 

The importance of quinones with unsaturated side chains in respiratory, photosynthetic, blood-clotting, and oxidative phosphorylation processes has stimulated much research in synthetic methods. The important alkyl- or polyisoprenyltin reagents, eg, (71) or (72), illustrate significant conversions of 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-l,4-ben2oquinone [605-94-7] (73) to 75% (74) [727-81-1] and 94% (75) [4370-61-0] (71—73). 

ATP results from the movement of approximately three protons from the cytosol into the matrix through Fg. Altogether this means that approximately four protons are transported into the matrix per ATP synthesized. Thus, approximately one-fourth of the energy derived from the respiratory chain (electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation) is expended as the electrochemical energy devoted to mitochondrial ATP-ADP transport. 

The rate of respiration of mitochondria can be controlled by the availability of ADP. This is because oxidation and phosphorylation are tightly coupled ie, oxidation cannot proceed via the respiratory chain without concomitant phosphorylation of ADP. Table 12-1 shows the five conditions controlling the rate of respiration in mitochondria. Most cells in the resting state are in state 4, and respiration is controlled by the availability of ADP. When work is performed, ATP is converted to ADP, allowing more respiration to occur, which in turn replenishes the store of ATP. Under certain conditions, the concentration of inorganic phosphate can also affect the rate of functioning of the respiratory chain. As respiration increases (as in exercise). 

Much information about the respiratory chain has been obtained by the use of inhibitors, and, conversely, this has provided knowledge about the mechanism of action of several poisons (Figure 12-7). They may be classified as inhibitors of the respiratory chain, inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, and uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. 

The action of uncouplers is to dissociate oxidation in the respiratory chain from phosphorylation. These compounds are toxic in vivo, causing respiration to become uncontrolled, since the rate is no longer limited by the concentration of ADP or Pj. The uncoupler that has been used most frequently is 2,4-dinitrophenol, but other compounds act in a similar manner. The antibiotic oligomycin completely blocks oxidation and phosphorylation by acting on a step in phosphorylation (Figures 12-7 and 12-8). 

Figure 12-8. Principles of the chemiosmotic theory of oxidative phosphorylation. The main proton circuit is created by the coupling of oxidation in the respiratory chain to proton translocation from the inside to the outside of the membrane, driven by the respiratory chain complexes I, III, and IV, each of which acts as a protonpump. Q, ubiquinone C, cytochrome c F Fq, protein subunits which utilize energy from the proton gradient to promote phosphorylation. Uncoupling agents such as dinitrophenol allow leakage of H" across the membrane, thus collapsing the electrochemical proton gradient. Oligomycin specifically blocks conduction of H" through Fq.

The citric acid cycle is an integral part of the process by which much of the free energy liberated during the oxidation of fuels is made available. During oxidation of acetyl-CoA, coenzymes are reduced and subsequendy reoxidized in the respiratory chain, hnked to the formation of ATP (oxicktive phosphorylation see Figure 16-2 and also Chapter 12). This process is aerobic, requiring oxygen as the final oxidant of the reduced coenzymes. The enzymes of the citric acid cycle are lo-... 

Figure 16-2. The citric acid cycle the major catabolic pathway for acetyl-CoA in aerobic organisms. Acetyl-CoA, the product of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid catabolism, is taken into the cycle, together with HjO, and oxidized to CO2 with the release of reducing equivalents (2H). Subsequent oxidation of 2H in the respiratory chain leads to coupled phosphorylation of ADP to ATP. For one turn of the cycle, 11 are generated via oxidative phosphorylation and one arises at substrate level from the conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.

As a result of oxidations catalyzed by the dehydrogenases of the citric acid cycle, three molecules of NADH and one of FADHj are produced for each molecule of acetyl-CoA catabohzed in one mrn of the cycle. These reducing equivalents are transferred to the respiratory chain (Figure 16-2), where reoxidation of each NADH results in formation of 3 ATP and reoxidation of FADHj in formation of 2 ATP. In addition, 1 ATP (or GTP) is formed by substrate-level phosphorylation catalyzed by succinate thiokinase. 

In most tissues, where the primary role of the citric acid cycle is in energy-yielding metabohsm, respiratory control via the respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation regulates citric acid cycle activity (Chapter 14). Thus, activity is immediately dependent on the supply of NAD, which in turn, because of the tight couphng between oxidation and phosphorylation, is dependent on the availabihty of ADP and hence, ulti-... 

The reduced coenzymes are oxidized by the respiratory chain linked to formation of ATP. Thus, the cycle is the major route for the generation of ATP and is located in the matrix of mitochondria adjacent to the enzymes of the respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation. 

ATP synthase reaction has been calculated as approximately 51.6 kJ. It follows that the total energy captured in ATP per mole of glucose oxidized is 1961 kJ, or approximately 68% of the energy of combustion. Most of the ATP is formed by oxidative phosphorylation resulting from the reoxidation of reduced coenzymes by the respiratory chain. The remainder is formed by substrate-level phosphorylation (Table 17—1). 

Respiratory chain oxidation of 2 NADH Phosphorylation at substrate level Phosphorylation at substrate level... 

Several enzymes, known collectively as fatty acid oxidase, are found in the mitochondrial matrix or inner membrane adjacent to the respiratory chain. These catalyze the oxidation of acyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA, the system being coupled with the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP (Figure 22-3). 

Not all the cellular DNA is in the nucleus some is found in the mitochondria. In addition, mitochondria contain RNA as well as several enzymes used for protein synthesis. Interestingly, mitochond-rial RNA and DNA bear a closer resemblance to the nucleic acid of bacterial cells than they do to animal cells. For example, the rather small DNA molecule of the mitochondrion is circular and does not form nucleosomes. Its information is contained in approximately 16,500 nucleotides that func-tion in the synthesis of two ribosomal and 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs). In addition, mitochondrial DNA codes for the synthesis of 13 proteins, all components of the respiratory chain and the oxidative phosphorylation system. Still, mitochondrial DNA does not contain sufficient information for the synthesis of all mitochondrial proteins most are coded by nuclear genes. Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized in the cytosol from nuclear-derived messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and then transported into the mito-chondria, where they contribute to both the structural and the functional elements of this organelle. Because mitochondria are inherited cytoplasmically, an individual does not necessarily receive mitochondrial nucleic acid equally from each parent. In fact, mito-chondria are inherited maternally. 

Thus, in one cycle, eight hydrogen atoms (H+ + e ) are transferred to hydrogen-transmitting coenzymes and later oxidized to water in the respiratory chain. This process is linked to oxidative phosphorylation, i.e., the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. 

The biochemical classification of mitochondrial DNA is based on the five major steps of mitochondrial metabolism. These steps are illustrated in Figure 42-3 and divide mitochondrial diseases into five groups defects of mitochondrial transport, defects of substrate utilization, defects of the Krebs cycle, defects of the respiratory chain and defects of oxidation-phosphorylation coupling. 

As an example calculation, we can consider the passage of a pair of electrons along the mitochondrial respiratory chain from NADH to oxygen during oxidative phosphorylation. The process can be viewed as two half reactions, each with a redox potential ... 

In contrast to substrate level phosphorylation in glycolysis, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is an efficient process in that it generates in excess of 30 ATP per mole of glucose. In essence, the movement of electrons along the respiratory chain or electron transport chain is coupled with phosphorylation of ADP. 

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