The Electron Transport Chain Texas AM （电子传递链德州农工大学）.pdf

The Electron Transport Chain February 19, 2003 Bryant Miles The citric acid cycle oxidizes acetate into two molecules of CO2 while capturing the electrons in the form of 3 NADH molecules and one molecule of FADH . These reduced molecules contain a pair of electrons 2 with a high transfer potential. These electrons are ultimately going to be transferred by a system of electron carriers to O to form H O. This process occurs in the mitochondria and is the major energy 2 2 source used to produce ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. Let’s look at the standard free energy change for the overall reaction shown below: + + NADH + H + ½O NAD + H O 2 2 + - + o NAD + 2e + H NADH E ’ = −0.315 V - + o ½O + 2e + 2H H O E ’ = +0.816 V 2 2 o ∆E ’ = +0.816 V – (−0.315 V) = 1.136 V o o ∆G ’ = −nF∆E ’ = −219 kJ/mol ADP + Pi ATP ∆Go ’ = +30.5 kJ/mol If we could convert all of this free energy generated by reducing oxygen with NADH to synthesize ATP from ADP and Pi: #ATP = 219/30.5 = 7.2 ATP I. Mitochondria. The processes involved in electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation occur within membranes. Prokaryotes do not have organelles such as mitochondria. Bacteria have a plasma membrane surrounded by a rigid cell wall. In prokaryote systems, electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation are carried out across the plasma membrane. Eukaryotes have organelles including mitochondria. Mammalian cells have 800 t