Using the bacterium, Paracoccus denitrificans and other 'runaway mitochondria' as classroom models for respiratory...

Our suggestions for experiments demonstrating electron-transport-chain composition and reactions all exploit bacteria which can be prepared quickly, easily and cheaply from cells grown in Erlenmeyer flasks. While they have been designed from a cytochrome oxidase point of view using organisms of our own prejudice, strains containing mutations in other sites could be just as educational. Most bacteria that can grow aerobically have features in common with the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Because of the vital importance of oxygen utilization throughout most of evolution, and consequent conservation of electron-transport complexes and carriers, the teaching of bioenergetics, whether in the laboratory or lecture room, could benefit from the inclusion of micro-organisms in the curriculum.