anaerobic bacteria electron transport chains?
Some anaerobic bacteria have electron transport chains, but they do not use oxygen as their final electron acceptor. Instead, they use other molecules such as sulfate (SO4) precisely the way we use oxygen; to accept electrons from the final component of the electron transport chain, with the reduced compound released as a waste. (H2S in the case of sulfate). But sulfate has less affinity for electrons than O2 does. Based on this information, would you think that bacteria using sulfate as their final electron acceptor produce more or less ATP/glucose than bacteria using atmospheric oxygen. Provide a full explanation.
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High-energy electrons are donated to the electron transport system. There is a smaller energy difference between them and sulfate than there is between them and molecular oxygen.Thus, the overall energy released as the electrons are passed along the "chain" is smaller when sulfate is used as the terminal electron acceptor. And therefore, per glucose, when sulfate is used, fewer protons are pumped across the membrane by the electron transport system. And with a smaller PMF (proton motive force) generated, fewer ATP produced per glucose result.
a chain of compounds localized in the interior membrane of the mitochondrion. The function of the electron delivery chain is to offer a transmembrane proton electrochemical gradient subsequently redox reactions.