Question

If mitochondria isolated from a cell are first placed without carbon source in a buffer at pH $8.0$ and then transferred to a buffer at pH $4$, it will lead to

• A. An increase in intro-mitochondria acidity
• B. A decrease in intro-mitochondrial acidity
• C. Blockage of ATP synthesis
• D. Synthesis of ATP

Answer 1

The correct option is D Synthesis of ATP

When the mitochondria is placed in a buffer at an acidic pH of 4 there is an increase in the concentration of $H^{+}$ ions in its inter membrane space. Hence a pH gradient is created with a high $H^{+}$ ion concentration in the inter membrane space and low in the matrix. This gradient increases the ATP production using the enzyme ATP synthetase. Thus the correct answer is option D.