Introduction
Oxidative phosphorylation is an important aspect of energy production in the mitochondria of the cell. It marks the end of a cell’s aerobic respiration process. By definition oxidative phosphorylation is the release of energy as the result of the transfer of electrons from a high concentration (NADH or FADH2) to oxygen, O2, the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain. This process occurs in the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Electrons are transferred from one electron protein carrier to another until to the O2 leading to the production of ATP (an energy carrier). Oxidative phosphorylation is said to be responsible for 90% of the ATP (26 out of the 30 ATP molecules) produced in the cell.
However, the importance of oxidative phosphorylation does not go without opposition sometimes. There is usually inhibition of this process by various compounds that are introduced into the human body. Inhibitors are substances that can hinder normal functioning of an enzyme. These can be organic substances such as poisons or inorganic metals such as metals. Most inhibitors in the human body may come as drugs or poisons. Such substances can also inhibit proteins of the inner mitochondrial membrane hence inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation.
For the purpose of this assignment I will consider briefly about the mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation, mention the proteins involved in the inner membrane of the mitochondria and then briefly talk about the types of inhibitors, what part of the membrane they inhibit and their mechanism of action in the human body.
Read the whole paper here...
