Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Electron Transport Chain01:30

The Electron Transport Chain

13.8K
The electron transport chain or oxidative phosphorylation is an exothermic process in which free energy released during electron transfer reactions is coupled to ATP synthesis. This process is a significant source of energy in aerobic cells, and therefore inhibitors of the electron transport chain can be detrimental to the cell's metabolic processes.
Inhibitors of the electron transport chain
Rotenone, a widely used pesticide, prevents electron transfer from Fe-S cluster to ubiquinone or Q...
13.8K
Electron Transport Chains01:28

Electron Transport Chains

85.8K
The final stage of cellular respiration is oxidative phosphorylation that consists of two steps: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. The electron transport chain is a set of proteins found in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to establish a proton gradient that can be used during chemiosmosis to produce ATP and generate electron carriers, such as NAD+ and FAD, that are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
The ETC is comprised of...
85.8K
Electron Transport Chain Components01:29

Electron Transport Chain Components

1.2K
The electron transport chain (ETC) is a crucial metabolic pathway that facilitates energy conversion in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In eukaryotes, the ETC comprises four membrane-associated protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane. In prokaryotes, the ETC in the plasma membrane can vary in composition, with fewer or different complexes depending on the organism and environmental conditions. These complexes transfer electrons from electron donors, such as NADH and FADH2, to...
1.2K
Oxidation and Reduction of Organic Molecules01:19

Oxidation and Reduction of Organic Molecules

8.1K
Energy production within a cell involves many coordinated chemical pathways. Most of these pathways are combinations of oxidation and reduction reactions, which occur at the same time. An oxidation reaction strips an electron from an atom in a compound, and the addition of this electron to another compound is a reduction reaction. Because oxidation and reduction usually occur together, these pairs of reactions are called redox reactions.
The removal of an electron from a molecule, results in a...
8.1K
Electron Transport Chain: Complex III and IV01:43

Electron Transport Chain: Complex III and IV

6.8K
During the electron transport chain, electrons from NADH and FADH2 are first transferred to complexes I and II, respectively. These two complexes then transfer the electrons to ubiquinol, which carries them further to complex III. Complex III passes the electrons across the intermembrane space to Cyt c, which carries them further to complex IV. Complex IV donates electrons to oxygen and reduces it to water. As electrons pass through complexes I, III, and IV, the energy released aids the pumping...
6.8K
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂01:29

Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂

11.9K
The energy released from the breakdown of the chemical bonds within nutrients can be stored either through the reduction of electron carriers or in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In living systems, a small class of compounds functions as mobile electron carriers, molecules that bind to and shuttle high-energy electrons between compounds in pathways. The principal electron carriers that will be considered originate from the B vitamin group and are derivatives of nucleotides; they are...
11.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The mechanism of cyclic electron flow.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Bioenergetics·2019
Same author

Maximal cyclic electron flow rate is independent of PGRL1 in Chlamydomonas.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Bioenergetics·2019
Same author

Mechanism of proton-pumping in the cytochrome b/f complex.

Photosynthesis research·2014
Same author

Earlier researches on the mechanism of oxygen evolution: A personal account.

Photosynthesis research·2013
Same author

Proton release during the redox cycle of the water oxidase.

Photosynthesis research·2013
Same author

Properties of inactive Photosystem II centers.

Photosynthesis research·2013

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Electrochemical Detection of Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effect on Extracellular Electron Transport in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1
09:00

Electrochemical Detection of Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effect on Extracellular Electron Transport in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

Published on: April 16, 2018

9.3K

Dissipation in bioenergetic electron transfer chains.

J Lavergne1, P Joliot

  • 1Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France.

Photosynthesis Research
|November 26, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study investigates energy loss in bioenergetic electron transfer chains, highlighting how evolution minimizes inefficiencies by organizing carriers into complexes for optimal energy conversion.

More Related Videos

High-Resolution Respirometry to Assess Bioenergetics in Cells and Tissues Using Chamber- and Plate-Based Respirometers
09:53

High-Resolution Respirometry to Assess Bioenergetics in Cells and Tissues Using Chamber- and Plate-Based Respirometers

Published on: October 26, 2021

5.1K
Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
10:23

Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System

Published on: August 23, 2024

2.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Electrochemical Detection of Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effect on Extracellular Electron Transport in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1
09:00

Electrochemical Detection of Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effect on Extracellular Electron Transport in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

Published on: April 16, 2018

9.3K
High-Resolution Respirometry to Assess Bioenergetics in Cells and Tissues Using Chamber- and Plate-Based Respirometers
09:53

High-Resolution Respirometry to Assess Bioenergetics in Cells and Tissues Using Chamber- and Plate-Based Respirometers

Published on: October 26, 2021

5.1K
Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
10:23

Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System

Published on: August 23, 2024

2.1K

Area of Science:

  • Bioenergetics
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Bioenergetic electron transfer chains are crucial for cellular energy production.
  • Understanding energy dissipation is key to optimizing biological energy conversion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine mechanisms of wasteful free energy dissipation in bioenergetic electron transfer.
  • To characterize factors affecting the energetic performance of biological systems, such as bacterial reaction centers.

Main Methods:

  • Review of previous findings on maximum power from photochemical sources.
  • Analysis of energetic performance, quantum yield, and chemical potential in electron transfer chains.
  • Identification of rate-limiting steps and inefficiencies.

Main Results:

  • Frictionless transfer requires high rate constants for a quasi-equilibrium steady-state.
  • Recombination and obstruction decrease quantum yield; friction and non-equilibrated mechanisms reduce chemical potential.
  • Diffusive carriers represent potential weak links due to kinetic limitations and short-circuiting.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary trends favor limiting diffusive carriers by integrating them into protein complexes or supercomplexes.
  • This organization minimizes energy loss and enhances the efficiency of bioenergetic processes.