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Oxidative Phosphorylation

Describe the process of oxidative


phosphorylation, with reference to the roles
of electron carriers, oxygen and the
mitochondrial cristae;
Explain that oxygen is the final electron
acceptor in aerobic respiration;
Oxidative Phosphorylation happens via the
electron transport chain
All the products from the previous stages are used in this final stage. Its
purpose is to transfer the energy from molecules made in glycolysis, the
link reaction and the Krebs cycle to ADP. This forms ATP, which can then
deliver the energy to parts of the cell that need it. The synthesis of ATP as
a result of the energy released by the electron transport chain is called
oxidative phosphorylation
The electron transport chain is where most of the ATP from respiration is
produced. In the whole process of aerobic respiration, 32 ATP molecules
are produced from one molecule of glucose: 2 ATP in glycolysis, 2 ATP in
the Krebs cycle and 28 ATP in the electron transport chain
The electron transport chain also reoxidises NAD and FAD so they can be
reused in previous steps
Respiration: The 4 Parts
Respiration consists of 4 parts:
Glycolysis
Link Reaction
Krebs Cycle
Oxidative Phosphorylation (the electron
transport chain)
Oxidative Phosphorylation produces lots of
ATP
The energy needed for ATP synthesis is
provided by the electron transport chain. It
uses the reduced NAD and FAD from the
previous 3 stages to produce 28 molecules of
ATP for every molecule of glucose
Whats going on?
It involves electron carriers embedded in the
inner mitochondrial membranes
They are folded into cristae which increases
the surface area (providing more electron
carriers)
The electrons are passed along a chain of
electron carriers and then donated to oxygen
the final hydrogen acceptor
Whats the point?
As electrons flow along the electron transport
chain, energy is released and used by coenzymes
associated with proteins 1, 3 and 4 to pump
protons across the intermembrane space
This builds up a proton gradient which is also a
pH gradient (lowers the pH) and an
electrochemical gradient
The hydrogens can only get back through the ion
channel which is associated with ATP synthase
The flow of hydrogen ions through this ion
channel is called chemiosmosis
Outer membrane of H+
mitochondrion H+ H+
H+
H+
Intermembrane space H+ H+

Inner membrane of Stalked particle


mitochondrion ATPsynthase
Carrier 1 Carrier 2 Carrier 3 Carrier 4

2e- 2e-
ADP
+ Pi

NADH + H+ 2H H+ H+ H+ 2H2O ATP

NAD+ 2H+ H+
O2 +
Matrix of 2H+
mitochondrion
Oxidative Phosphorylation produces lots of
ATP
1. Hydrogen atoms are released from NADH + H+ and
FADH2 (as they are oxidised to NAD+ and FAD). The H
atoms split to produce protons (H+) and electrons (e-)
for the chain.
The electrons move along the electron chain (made up
of three electron carriers) losing energy at each level.
This energy is used to pump the protons (H+) into the
space between the inner and outer mitochondrial
membranes (the intermembrane space)
Oxidative Phosphorylation produces lots of
ATP
The concentration of protons is higher in the intermembrane
space than in the mitochondrial matrix, so an electrochemical
gradient exists.
The protons then move back through the inner membrane
down the electrochemical gradient, through specific channels
on the stalked particles of the cristae- this drives the enzyme
ATP synthase. By spinning like a motor, this enzyme supplies
electrical potential energy to make ATP from ADP and
inorganic phosphate
The protons and electrons recombine to form hydrogen, and
this combines with molecular oxygen (from the blood) at the
end of the transport chain to form water. Oxygen is said to be
the final electron acceptor
The Importance of Oxygen
We have learned that oxygen is the final
hydrogen acceptor in respiration
We are now gong to look at the uptake of
oxygen by respiring organisms
Plenary
Complete the missing word sheet

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