In a paper published in the journal on December 2nd ChemistryScientists and collaborators at the Whitehead Institute, led by Spinelli, have found answers to these questions. “We wanted to understand, but how does this work? If oxygen is not the terminal electron acceptor, how can mitochondria maintain these electron inputs? “ “This shows that mitochondria may actually have partial function, even if oxygen is not an electron acceptor,” said Jessica Spinelli, a postdoctoral fellow at Whitehead Institute.
Electron transport chain.īut in the past, scientists have noticed it cell Even in the absence of oxygen, some functions of the electron transport chain can be maintained. These are usually passed to oxygen, the “terminal electron acceptor.”This completes the reaction and gives more electrons. It is a molecule that gives cells energy to complete important functions.Īt the end of this chain, two electrons remain.
THINK CELL 6 TORRENT SERIES
Through a series of reactions called the electron transport chain, electrons are passed in a kind of cell relay race, allowing cells to produce ATP. Humans need oxygen molecules for a process called cellular respiration that occurs in the mitochondria of cells. Credits: Jessica Spinelli / Whitehead Institute The cells are stained for a marker of mitochondrial membrane potential, which is partially maintained by the proper functioning of the electron transport chain. On the right, two cell types are treated with antimycin A, a molecule that blocks the transfer of electrons to oxygen in the electron transport chain.
Mitochondria of cells lacking normal cells (WT) and SDH complex (SDH KO).
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