Question

Can proton motive force be used to synthesize ATP?

Answer 1

ATP

1. Adenosine triphosphate or ATP is the primary unit of energy in all organisms.
2. ATP is used as energy to perform each and every function in the body, be it chemical like in the synthesis of amino acids, glycolysis, and physical activities like stretching of muscles.
3. It also acts as a catalyst in many metabolic reactions.

Proton motive force

1. Proton motive force is the driving force that is used to move protons across membranes relative to the electrochemical gradient.
2. It occurs during mitochondrial respiration in order to generate ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).

Oxidative phosphorylation:

1. ATP synthase is an enzyme responsible for ATP synthesis using proton motive force.
2. It has two major components that are a transmembrane protein that spans the entire plasma membrane called F₀. and a peripheral protein is present on the surface called F₁.
3. F₀ protein acts as a proton channel allowing diffusion of protons through it.
4. Due to the movement of electrons during the Electron transport chain (ETC) an electrochemical gradient is formed.
5. This creates the electron motive force that drives the proton through the transmembrane F₀ from intermembrane space to the matrix of mitochondria.
6. This diffusion creates energy which in turn is used by the F1 to go conformational changes and produces ATP from the ADP molecule.
7. The reaction can be summarized through a reaction equation-

$ADP+Pi+2{H^{+}}_{\left(out\right)}\leftrightarrow ATP+H_{2}O+2{H^{+}}_{\left(in\right)}$

Final Answer: Yes, proton motive force can be used to synthesize ATP.