Question

If the membrane of the mitochondria became permeable to hydrogen ions, how would this affect cellular respiration? Explain.

Answer 1

Electron transport chains embedded in the mitochondrial inner membrane capture high-energy electrons from the carrier molecules and use them to concentrate hydrogen ions in the intermembrane space. Hydrogen ions flow down their electrochemical gradient back into the matrix through ATP synthase channels which capture their energy to convert ADP to ATP.

Therefore, if mitochondria becomes permeable to hydrogen ions there will be no H+ concentration gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane and it will disrupt the ATP synthesis in mitochondria because the H+ will then can easily cross the mitochondrial membrane and does not require to go through the ATP synthatase present in the membrane.