1. Explain how oxidative phosphorylation occurs in the mitochondria.

[10 marks]

 Oxidative phosphorylation is the process in which ATP is formed as a result of the

transfer of electrons from NADH or FADH2 to oxygen by series of electron carriers.
 Occurs in the inner membrane of mitochondria/cristae
 Involves 4 protein complexes (Complex I/NADH dehydrogenase, Complex
II/Succinate dehydrogenase, Complex III/Cytochrome c reductase and Complex IV/
Cytochrome c oxidase) and two mobile carriers (ubiquinone/CoQ and cytochrome c
 NADH (+ H+) is oxidized by transferring two hydrogen atoms (2H) to Complex I
 FADH2 is oxidized by transferring two hydrogen atoms (2H) to Complex II
 From Complex I / Complex II, the electron is pass to ubiquinone, Complex III,
cytochrome c, Complex IV and finally to oxygen
 Oxygen is the final electron acceptor
 One oxygen atom receives 2 electrons and 2 protons to form a water molecule (H2O)
 2H+ + ½ O2 + 2e- H2O
 As electron is transferred, energy is released
 The energy is used to pump proton/hydrogen ion out from mitochondrial matrix into
the intermembrane space
 Protons / H+ will accumulates in the intermembrane space
 Resulting in H+ / proton gradient across the membrane // proton motive force
 Proton / H+ will flow back into mitochondrial matrix through ATP synthase
 The flow back of proton back into mitochondrial matrix provides energy to
phosphorylate ADP forming ATP

2. Explain what happens to pyruvate in the absence of oxygen [8 marks]

 Pyruvate will remain in the cytoplasm

 In the absence of oxygen, plant cell and yeast cell undergo alcoholic fermentation
 In the absence of oxygen, animal/muscle cell undergo lactic acid fermentation
 In alcoholic fermentation, pyruvate is decarboxylated into (two carbon compound)
acetaldehyde/ethanal
 carbon dioxide is released
 acetaldehyde / ethanal is reduced to ethanol by NADH
 NADH is oxidized to NAD+
 In lactic acid fermentation, pyruvate is reduced directly by NADH to form lactate
without release of carbon dioxide.
 NADH is oxidized to NAD+