In an alien mitochondrion, glucose enters gylcolysis in the mitochondrial dome (between outer and second membrane). The result of gylcolysis, two pyruvates, are then transferred to the mitochondrial barn (between the second and innermost membrane) to take part in pyruvate oxidation, while the NADH formed in gylcolysis will be likely to stay in the barn and proceed with the ETC. After pyruvate oxidation, each pyruvate results in an acetyl-CoA, which travels to the mitochondrial soup (inside the innermost membrane) to take part in the Kreb’s cycle. The NADH resulted in pyruvate oxidation will also be likely to travel to the mitochondrial soup where a high concentration of NADH is present there. The Kreb’s cycle occurs within the mitochondrial soup, producing more NADH, FADH2 and H ions necessary for the electron transport chain. The NADH, FADH2 will then take place in the ETC, transferring their electrons across the innermost membrane using the six embedded proteins. The H ions will likely to travel from the mitochondrial soup (where a high concentration is presented) to the mitochondrial barn in order to be pumped by ATP synthase embedded in the second membrane. These H ions are pumped to the mitochondrial dome where ATP will be made.
1. An alien mitochondrion has three membrane while human mitochondrion has two membranes. The Alien mitochondrion had six proteins embedded in innermost membrane with two ion pumps while the human mitochondrion has three ion pumps embedded in the innermost membrane. Furthermore, the alien’s mitochondrion is kidney bean shaped while the human mitochondrion is sausage-shaped. ATP symthase is embedded in the second membrane of the alien mitochondrion, while in human it is embedded in the innermost membrane.
2. Glycolysis takes place inside outer and second membrane (mitochondrial dome) in alien mitochondrion. Pyruvate oxidation occurs between the second and inner most membrane (mitochondrial barn) in the alien mitochondrion. The electron transport chain occurs across innermost membrane with only one copy present. The highly concentrated H ions in the mitochondrial soup must be first pumped to the mitochondrial barn, and then pumped by ATP synthase embedded in the second membrane to make ATP.
3. In the alien, the H ions, NADH and FADH2 are located in the mitochondrial soup (inside the inner most membrane), these componets are necessary for the electron transport chain to happen. However, since ATP synthase is embedded in the second membrane, therefore the H ions must travel to the mitochondrial darn in order to be pumped. Furthermore, the energy used to pump protons is created by redox reactions involduing shuttling electrons, which occurs across the innermost membrane; this energy must travel to the other side of the barn (towards the second membrane) because ATP synthase needs energy to pump the protons.
4. Human mitochondria are more efficient because components of cellular respiration (e.g. pyruvate, NADH, FADH2, etc.) don’t have to travel through membranes as much as in the alien mitochondria. Cellulary efficiency is very important because it directly relates to how much energy a cell can generate to maintain itself and do useful work, therefore when cellulary efficiency is low, the cell may die.
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