Master Oxidative Phosphorylation with a Mnemonic

Struggling with cellular energy (oxidative phosphorylation)? Ditch frustration and unlock a fun way to learn! Picmonic uses a catchy mnemonic, captivating characters & stories to master the pathway & biochemistry behind ATP production.

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Oxidative phosphorylation is the metabolic pathway that occurs across the inner mitochondrial membrane. In the pathway, NADH and FADH2 are oxidized and give up their high-energy electrons to the electron transport chain. This oxidation process is coupled to the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP by the enzyme ATP synthase. For each NADH run through the electron transport chain, 2.5 ATP are produced. For each FADH2 run-through, 1.5 ATP are produced. Overall, this process is driven by the proton motive force created by pumping a large amount of protons into the intermembrane space using proton motors attached to the electron transport chain. Another important fact is that oxygen is the final electron acceptor.

8 KEY FACTS

Oxidative phosphorylation occurs along the inner mitochondrial membrane, which encloses the mitochondrial matrix and borders the intermembrane space.

The electron transport chain accepts electrons from carriers NADH and FADH2 and transfers them down a series of protein complexes.

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electrons in the electron transport chain and is reduced to water.

The protein complexes in the electron transport chain use the transfer of electrons to pump protons into the inter-membrane space and establish the proton motive force.

The proton motive force is derived from the electrochemical gradient established by pumping protons into the inter-membrane space. Thus, protons build up in the inter-membrane space and want to diffuse back into the matrix.

ATP synthase converts ADP to ATP by using the energy from the proton motive force. The energy for it is released in the form of a proton moving down the electrochemical gradient.

For each NADH entering oxidative phosphorylation, 2.5 ATP molecules are produced.

For each FADH2 entering oxidative phosphorylation, 1.5 ATP molecules are produced.

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