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An uncoupler or uncoupling agent is a molecule that disrupts oxidative phosphorylation in prokaryotes and mitochondria or photophosphorylation in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria by dissociating the reactions of ATP synthesis from the electron transport chain.
Structure of the human uncoupling protein UCP1. An uncoupling protein (UCP) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein that is a regulated proton channel or transporter.An uncoupling protein is thus capable of dissipating the proton gradient generated by NADH-powered pumping of protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the mitochondrial intermembrane space.
Although it was originally thought to play a role in non-shivering thermogenesis, obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis, it now appears that the main function of UCP2 is the control of mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species. [8] Chromosomal order is 5'-UCP3-UCP2-3'. [9] Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein 2
Thermogenin (called uncoupling protein by its discoverers and now known as uncoupling protein 1, or UCP1) [5] is a mitochondrial carrier protein found in brown adipose tissue (BAT). It is used to generate heat by non-shivering thermogenesis , and makes a quantitatively important contribution to countering heat loss in babies which would ...
One advantage is that the ectothermic inner mitochondrial membrane is less leaky, so less protons will leak through the inner membrane due to differences in the phospholipid bilayer composition. [94] Another advantage ectotherms tend to have in this category is an ability for their mitochondria to properly function in a wide range of ...
In mitochondria, energy released by the electron transport chain is used to move protons from the mitochondrial matrix (N side) to the intermembrane space (P side). Moving the protons out of the mitochondrion creates a lower concentration of positively charged protons inside it, resulting in excess negative charge on the inside of the membrane.
To do this, it must release the absorbed energy. This can happen in various ways. The extra energy can be converted into molecular motion and lost as heat, or re-emitted by the electron as light (fluorescence). The energy, but not the electron itself, may be passed onto another molecule; this is called resonance energy transfer.
Reverse electron transfer (RET) is the process that can occur in respiring mitochondria, when a small fraction of electrons from reduced ubiquinol is driven upstream by the membrane potential towards mitochondrial complex I. This results in reduction of oxidized pyridine nucleotide (NAD + or NADP +).