Module 6 : Microbial Metabolism

Lecture 2: Carbohydrate Catabolism

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The Electron Transport Chain:

• Consists of a sequence of carrier molecules that are capable of oxidation and reduction.

• As electrons are passed through the chain, there is a stepwise release of energy, used to
drive the chemiosmotic generation of ATP.

• In eukaryotic cells, it is contained in the inner membrane of mitochondria.

• In prokaryotes, it is found in the plasma membrane.

Fig. 5. Electron Transport Chain

Three classes of carrier molecules are involved:

1. Flavoproteins – these contain flavin, a coenzyme derived from riboflavin (Vitamin B2). One
important flavin coenzyme is flavin mononucleotide (FMN).

2. Cytochromes – proteins with an iron-containing group capable of existing alternately as a

reduced form (Fe2+) and an oxidized form (Fe3+). The cytochormes include cytochrome b, C1, a, a3.

3. Ubiquinones or Coenzyme Q – these are small non-protein carriers.

 • Electron transport chains of bacteria are somewhat diverse, and the particular carriers and
the order in which they functions may differ from those of other bacteria and from those of
eukaryotic mitochondrial systems. Much is known about the electron transport chain in the
mitochondria of eukaryotic cells.

1. Transfer of high energy electrons from NADH to FMN, the first carrier in the
chain. This transfer involves at the passage of a hydrogen atom with 2e- to
FMN, which then pick up an additional H+ from the surrounding aqueous
medium. NADH is oxidised to NAD+ and FMN reduced to FMNH2.

2. FMNH2 passes 2H+ to the other side of the mitochondrial membrane and
passes 2e- to Q. As a result FMNH2 is oxidized to FMN. Q picks up an additional
2H+ from the medium and releases it on the other side of the membrane.

3. Electrons are passed successively from Q to Cyt b, cyt c1, cyt c, cyt a and cyt
a3. Each cytochrome in the chain is reduced as it picks up e-and is oxidised as it
gives up electrons. The last cyt a3 passes it electrons to molecular O2, which
becomes negatively charged and then picks up protons from the medium to
form H2O.

• FADH2 adds its electrons to the electron transport chain at a lower level than NADH.
Because of this, the electron transport chain produces about one-third less energy for ATP
generation when FADH2 donates electrons than when NADH is involved.

• FMN and Q accept and release protons as well as electrons and other carrier cytochromes
transfer only electrons.

• Electron flow down the chain is accompanied at several points by the active transport
(Pumping) of protons from the matrix side of the inner mitochondrial membrane to the
opposite side of the membrane. The result is build up of protons on one side of the
membrane, which provides energy for the generation of ATP by the chemiosmotic
mechanism.

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