Question

Most newborn mammals, including human infants, have a special type of adipose tissue called brown fat, in which a naturally occurring uncoupling protein called thermogenin is present in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Thermogenin uncouples ATP synthesis from electron transport so that the energy released as electrons flow through the electron transport chain is lost as heat instead.

What kind of an experiment can you suggest to test your hypothesis? Drag the terms on the left to the appropriate blanks on the right to complete the sentences. Terms can be used once, more than once, or not at all. Reset Help without thermogenin 8.0 acidie To test this hypothesis one could prepare vesicles consisting of phospholipid bilayers with and without thermogenin. The vesicles could be prepared in a mildly solution (pH for example), then transferred to an) solution (pH for example). If thermogenin is a proton translocator, protons should enter the vesicles such that the pH within the vesicle should quickly equilibrate with the external pH (e. pH whereas the pH within the vesicles prepared should remain at the original pH (ie, pH with thermogenin alkaline

Answer 1

1. Alkaline solution

2. pH= 8.0

3. Acidic solution

4. pH= 5.0

5. With thermogenin

6. pH= 5.0

7. Without thermogenin

8. pH= 8.0

Thermogenin uncouples ATP synthesis by leaking protons into mitochondria matrix. The vesicles with thermogenin will become acidic as thermogenin translocates protons from acidic solution into the matrix. While, those without thermogenin would not be able to do so & thus, will remain at original pH i.e. alkaline.