Structure and Function of the Energy-Converting System of Mitochondria

The main energy source for all endergonic processes occurring in living organisms is the phosphate bond energy of nucleoside triphosphates, especially adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In aerobic organisms, as for instance in mammals, more than 90% of ATP is formed during the process called oxidative phosphorylation. In this process, similar to that of muscle contraction and nerve excitation, nature works with vectorial processes taking place at a membrane separating distinct spaces from each other. The present article deals with the operation of a set of water‐insoluble membrane proteins and enzymes vectorially transporting electrons, protons and other ions, which finally leads to the formation of ATP. This machinery transforming substrate oxidation energy into chemical energy in the form of the phosphoric anhydride bond of ATP operates with a very high efficiency. The structure and function of the machinery of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are described. It consists of the electron transfer chain, the ATP‐synthetase, the adenine nucleotide translocase and the phosphate carrier. The electron transfer chain can be resolved into multiprotein complexes—at three of them energy conversion takes place—and into the electron carriers ubiquinone and cytochrome c. The substrate oxidation energy is converted into the chemical energy of ATP with an electrochemical proton gradient as intermediary form. The energetic aspects of the processes are analyzed by linear irreversible thermodynamics. Great success has been gained during the past few years on the structural characterization of the participating proteins. The function of the various systems is partially elucidated on the molecular level; this concerns especially the mechanism of proton and adenine nucleotide translocation, as well as ATP formation. A study of the cell's own “power plant”—the mitochondrion—and attempts to understand its mode of operation are rewarding not only in connection with the current energy debate. Considerable advances have been made recently in the structural characterization of the participating proteins; their function has already been partly elucidated on a molecular level.