What Is an Electron Transport Chain?

The respiratory chain is a continuous reaction system composed of a series of hydrogen transfer reactions and eletron transfer reactions arranged in a certain order. Atoms are given to oxygen to produce water, while ATP is produced. In fact, the role of the respiratory chain represents the most basic function of the mitochondria. The hydrogen carrier and electron carrier in the respiratory chain are carriers that can transfer hydrogen atoms or electrons. Because hydrogen atoms can be regarded It is composed of protons and electrons outside the nucleus, so the hydrogen transporter is also an electron transporter. The essence of the hydrogen transporter and the electron transporter is an enzyme, a coenzyme, a co-group or a co-factor. ^[1]

Breathing chain

The respiratory chain contains more than 15 components, mainly composed of 4 enzyme complexes and 2 movable

Constituting the breathing chain

1. Rotenone, amido, and methicillin: block electron transfer from NADH to coenzyme Q. Rotenone is a very toxic plant material that can be used as a pesticide.

2. Antimycin A: An antibiotic isolated from streptomycin that inhibits the transfer from cytochrome b to c ₁ .

3. Cyanide, azide, CO, H ₂ S, etc., block the transfer of cytochrome aa3 to oxygen.