Talk:Mitochondrial genetics

From EvoWiki

Bold textHow is energy produced in the Electron Transport Chain? My guess would be energy transfer from electrons to protons then back to the electron which gave up the energy in the first place. The transfer of protons through the membrane by the electrons creates alot more energy than the cell can get than just from the electron alone.

The basic trick that is used requires two types of proteins that are involved in the movement of protons across the mitochondrial inner membrane. The first type of protein couples the transfer of electrons to the movement of protons across the membrane. These proteins convert some of the energy available in oxidation-reduction reactions into energy stored in a proton gradient across the membrane. The second type of protein is the "proton pump." This enzyme is able to couple the transmembrane transport of protons down a concentration gradient to ATP synthesis (or, in the other direction, it can use energy from ATP to pump protons).--Memenen 01:40, 27 Jun 2005 (BST)