Answer to Question #155272 in Cell Biology for ziad

Question

For every activation of a proton-pump in the ETC, the Respiratory Assembly kicks into action once.

a) How many ATP's will be made by the Respiratory Assembly for every NADH from Kreb's Cycle?...for every FADH2?... (2 marks)

b) What happens to this ATP - i.e. how does it get out of the mitochondrion?

Answer 1

a) The oxidation of 1 mole of NADH generates approximately 2.5 moles of ATP, whereas the oxidation of 1 mole of FADH2 generates approximately 1.5 moles of ATP.

b) mitochondrial  ADP/ATP carriers transport ADP into the mitochondrial  matrix for ATP synthesis, and ATP out  to fuel the cell, by cycling between cytoplasmic-open and matrix-open states.