Oxidative phosphorylation or electron transport-linked phosphorylation or terminal oxidation is the metabolic pathway in which cells use enzymes to oxidize nutrients, thereby releasing chemical energy in order to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In eukaryotes, this takes place inside mitochondria. Almost all aerobic organisms carry out oxidative phosphorylation. This pathway is so pervasive because it releases more energy than alternative fermentation processes such as anaerobic glycolysis.
Flavins refers generally to the class of organic compounds containing the tricyclic heterocycle isoalloxazine or its isomer alloxazine, and derivatives thereof. The biochemical source of flavin is the yellow B vitamin riboflavin. The flavin moiety is often attached with an adenosine diphosphate to form flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and, in other circumstances, is found as flavin mononucleotide, a phosphorylated form of riboflavin. It is in one or the other of these forms that flavin is present as a prosthetic group in flavoproteins. Despite the similar names, flavins are chemically and biologically distinct from the flavanoids, and the flavonols.
An electron transport chain (ETC) is a series of protein complexes and other molecules which transfer electrons from electron donors to electron acceptors via redox reactions (both reduction and oxidation occurring simultaneously) and couples this electron transfer with the transfer of protons (H+ ions) across a membrane. Many of the enzymes in the electron transport chain are embedded within the membrane.
Respiratory complex I, EC 7.1.1.2 is the first large protein complex of the respiratory chains of many organisms from bacteria to humans. It catalyzes the transfer of electrons from NADH to coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and translocates protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotes or the plasma membrane of bacteria.
The coenzyme Q : cytochrome c – oxidoreductase, sometimes called the cytochrome bc1 complex, and at other times complex III, is the third complex in the electron transport chain, playing a critical role in biochemical generation of ATP. Complex III is a multisubunit transmembrane protein encoded by both the mitochondrial and the nuclear genomes. Complex III is present in the mitochondria of all animals and all aerobic eukaryotes and the inner membranes of most bacteria. Mutations in Complex III cause exercise intolerance as well as multisystem disorders. The bc1 complex contains 11 subunits, 3 respiratory subunits, 2 core proteins and 6 low-molecular weight proteins.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) also known as ubiquinone, is a naturally occurring biochemical cofactor (coenzyme) and an antioxidant produced by the human body. It can also be obtained from dietary sources, such as meat, fish, seed oils, vegetables, and dietary supplements. CoQ10 is found in many organisms, including animals and bacteria.
Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) or succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (SQR) or respiratory complex II is an enzyme complex, found in many bacterial cells and in the inner mitochondrial membrane of eukaryotes. It is the only enzyme that participates in both the citric acid cycle and the electron transport chain. Histochemical analysis showing high succinate dehydrogenase in muscle demonstrates high mitochondrial content and high oxidative potential.
In biochemistry, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is a redox-active coenzyme associated with various proteins, which is involved with several enzymatic reactions in metabolism. A flavoprotein is a protein that contains a flavin group, which may be in the form of FAD or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Many flavoproteins are known: components of the succinate dehydrogenase complex, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and a component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.
Semiquinones are free radicals resulting from the removal of one hydrogen atom with its electron during the process of dehydrogenation of a hydroquinone, such as hydroquinone itself or catechol, to a quinone or alternatively the addition of a single hydrogen atom with its electron to a quinone. Semiquinones are highly unstable.
Rieske proteins are iron–sulfur protein (ISP) components of cytochrome bc1 complexes and cytochrome b6f complexes and are responsible for electron transfer in some biological systems. John S. Rieske and co-workers first discovered the protein and in 1964 isolated an acetylated form of the bovine mitochondrial protein. In 1979, Trumpower's team isolated the "oxidation factor" from bovine mitochondria and showed it was a reconstitutively-active form of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein
It is a unique [2Fe-2S] cluster in that one of the two Fe atoms is coordinated by two histidine residues rather than two cysteine residues. They have since been found in plants, animals, and bacteria with widely ranging electron reduction potentials from -150 to +400 mV.
The Q cycle describes a series of reactions that describe how the sequential oxidation and reduction of the lipophilic electron carrier Coenzyme Q (CoQ) between the ubiquinol and ubiquinone forms, can result in the net movement of protons across a lipid bilayer.
The glycerol-3-phosphate shuttle is a mechanism used in skeletal muscle and the brain that regenerates NAD+ from NADH, a by-product of glycolysis. NADH is a reducing equivalent that stores electrons generated in the cytoplasm during glycolysis. NADH must be transported into the mitochondria to enter the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. However, the inner mitochondrial membrane is impermeable to NADH and only contains a transport system for NAD+. Depending on the type of tissue either the glycerol-3-phosphate shuttle pathway or the malate–aspartate shuttle pathway is used to transport electrons from cytoplasmic NADH into the mitochondria.
Electron-transferring-flavoprotein dehydrogenase is an enzyme that transfers electrons from electron-transferring flavoprotein in the mitochondrial matrix, to the ubiquinone pool in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It is part of the electron transport chain. The enzyme is found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes and contains a flavin and FE-S cluster. In humans, it is encoded by the ETFDH gene. Deficiency in ETF dehydrogenase causes the human genetic disease multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.
MT-ND5 is a gene of the mitochondrial genome coding for the NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 5 protein (ND5). The ND5 protein is a subunit of NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone), which is located in the mitochondrial inner membrane and is the largest of the five complexes of the electron transport chain. Variations in human MT-ND5 are associated with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) as well as some symptoms of Leigh's syndrome and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
NADH dehydrogenase [ubiquinone] 1 alpha subcomplex subunit 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NDUFA2 gene. The NDUFA2 protein is a subunit of NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone), which is located in the mitochondrial inner membrane and is the largest of the five complexes of the electron transport chain. Mutations in the NDUFA2 gene are associated with Leigh's syndrome.
Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase binding protein, also known as UQCRB, Complex III subunit 7, QP-C, or Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex 14 kDa protein is a protein which in humans is encoded by the UQCRB gene. This gene encodes a subunit of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase complex, which consists of one mitochondrial-encoded and 10 nuclear-encoded subunits. Mutations in this gene are associated with mitochondrial complex III deficiency. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been found for this gene. Related pseudogenes have been identified on chromosomes 1, 5 and X.
Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is an enzyme with systematic name short-chain acyl-CoA:electron-transfer flavoprotein 2,3-oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
NADH:ubiquinone reductase (non-electrogenic) (EC 1.6.5.9, NDH-2, ubiquinone reductase, coenzyme Q reductase, dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-coenzyme Q reductase, DPNH-coenzyme Q reductase, DPNH-ubiquinone reductase, NADH-coenzyme Q oxidoreductase, NADH-coenzyme Q reductase, NADH-CoQ oxidoreductase, NADH-CoQ reductase) is an enzyme with systematic name NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction:
The International Coenzyme Q10 Association is a nonprofit association originally based in Ancona, Italy and currently in Seville, Spain. Since its establishment in 1997, it has promoted biochemical and clinical research on the substance Coenzyme Q10 in an attempt to increase the body of knowledge about the preventive and therapeutic health effects of Coenzyme Q10.
Plácido Navas Lloret is a Spanish Professor of Cell Biology in the Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology at the Pablo de Olavide University in Sevilla, Spain. From 2002 to 2012, Professor Navas served as a board member of the International Coenzyme Q10 Association; since 2013, he has been the chairman of the association.
