Electron transport chain or system (ETC or ETS)

• It is known as a system as it is composed of number of

components which interact with one another
• It is also known as chain because of a series of reactions
• ETC is located on the inner mitochondrial membrane
• Units of ETC
• There are numerous units
• 1. FMN (Flavin mononucleotide) = 1st electron acceptor
• 2. Fe-S (Iron-sulfur) is a protein
• 3. Ubiquinone
• 4. Five types of cytochromes
• i) Cyt. b ii) Cyt. C1 iii) Cyt. C
• iv) Cyt. a v) Cyt. a3

• ATP synthase
Summary of ETC
• In the final stage of cellular aerobic respiration, all the enzyme-catalyzed steps in
the oxidative degradation of carbohydrates, fats and amino acids in aerobic cells
trickle down to electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation (final stages of
aerobic respiration).

• In the above-mentioned stage, the flow of electrons from organic substrates to

oxygen takes place with the simultaneous release of energy to generate ATPs.

• The energy rich carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids undergo a series of
metabolic reactions (break down) and finally get oxidized to CO2 and H2. The
reduced products of various metabolic intermediates are transferred to
coenzymes NAD+ and FAD to produce, respectively, NADH and FADH2
which pass through the electron transport chain (ETC) to finally reduce oxygen
to water.
• The electron movement through the ETC is associated with the loss of
free energy. However, a proportion this free energy is utilized
to generate ATP from ADP and Pi.

• The mitochondria are the centers for metabolic oxidative reactions to

generate reduced coenzymes (NADH and FADH2) which, in
turn, are utilized in ETC to release energy in the form of ATP.

• For this reason, the mitochondrion is rightly regarded as the

powerhouse of the of the cell.
Models
1. Salisbury and Ross (1992)
2. Heldt (1997)
3. Hopkins and Huner (2009)
4. Taiz et al. (2015)
Hopkins and Huner (2009)
• There are four complexes of mitochondrial
membrane:
1. NADH-Ubiquinone oxidoreductase or NADH-
dehydrogenase complex
2. Succinate-Ubiquinone oxidoreductase or Succinate
dehydrogenase
3. Cytochrome c reductase or Cytochrome b/c1
complex
4. Cytochrome c oxidase or Cytochrome a/a3 complex
• UQ is soluble in lipids so it is mobile.
Salisbury and
Ross (1992)
• Cytochromes and Fe-S proteins have the ability to
receive and transfer only one electron at a time
whereas FMN and UQ can receive and transfer two
hydrogen ions and two electrons at a time.

• Cytochrome c oxidase has greater affinity to O2. It is

the terminal enzyme where O2 is converted into H2O.
Model by Heldt (1997)
This model was proposed by Heldt (German scientist) in 1997.
This is the simplest model of ETC.
Complex II is not involved in energy transduction and its value is
zero. Complex II is not essential for electron transport and
remaining 3 complexes are necessary for electron transport.
In this case jumping of electron downward releases energy
which is utilized to move the hydrogen ions from matrix to inter-
membranous space.
 Moller,2001 (modified by Rasmusson, 2004)
It is the latest model. It was proposed by Moller in 2001. This
model is valid till today.
Taiz et al., 2015
• This model also explains the inhibitors
1. Rotenone (pesticide, a fish killer), amytal
(sedative), Piericidin (an antibiotic) (Complex I)
2. Diphenyl eneidonoium (DPI, a drug) (Complex II)
3. Salicylic hydroxamic acid (SHAM, a drug which can
irreversibly inhibit enzymes) blocks alternative
oxidase
4. Antimycin A is the active ingredient of Fintrol, a
Fish poison used for eliminating invasive species in
aquaculture (Complex III)
5. Cyanide (CN), azide or CO block Complex IV
Some electron Transport Enzymes are unique to plant
mitochondria
• These enzymes are only found in plant mitochondria and not in
animals.
1.Two NAD(P)H dehydrogenases, both Ca2+ dependent, attached
to outer surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane facing
the inter-membrane space can oxidize cytosolic NADH and
NADPH. Electrons from these external NAD(P)H
dehydrogenases – NDex (NADH) and NDex (NADPH) enter the
main electron transport chain at the level of the ubiquinone
pool (Moller, 2001; Rasmusson et al., 2004)
2.Plant mitochondria have two pathways for oxidizing matrix
NADH.
1. Through complex I: sensitive to inhibition by several
compounds like Rotenone and Piericidin
2. Plants also have rotenone resistant dehydrogenase NDin
(NADH). Functions as bypass.
• NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDin) is present on the matrix
surface. Very little is known about this
• Most plants have alternative respiratory pathway which
involves alternative oxidase which is insensitive to inhibition
by cyanide, azide or CO

• ATP synthesis: Number of ATP depends on nature of

electron donor. In experiments on isolated mitochondria,
matrix NADH gives rise ADP:O ratio (Number of ATP
synthesized per 2 electron transferred to O2) of 2.4 to 2.7.
• Succinate and external NADH 1.6 to 1.8

• 4 H+ 1 ATP