This protein is an uncoupling agent (likely thermogenin which is found in brown adipose and serves to increase heat production. Uncoupling agents will cause increased permeability of the mitochondria membrane, necessitating more oxygen consumption in order to generate the same ion gradient. Since more oxygen is consumed to generate the same gradient, more oxygen would be consumed to generate the same amount of ATP, so the ratio of oxygen consumption to ATP generation increases. (FA2020 p78)
Another way of thinking about this is that oxygen will continued to be consumed to attempt to generate the gradient, but the leaky membrane will prevent the gradient from being formed properly and therefore prevent ATP from being formed. Thus there is the same amount of oxygen consumed for little to no ATP being made so again the ratio of oxygen consumption to ATP generation increases. This is closer to what actually happens in the body but I found it easier to think about it the first way.
feochromocytomaExactly, the electron transport in the mitochondria will keep going, but ATP synthesis would stop, which causes production of heat.+
thegoutif you're like me, you picked decreased ratio of oxygen to ATP in a brain fart without thinking about what a ratio is, gotta read the answers more carefully in long grueling exam.+16
submitted by โcassdawg(1780)
This protein is an uncoupling agent (likely thermogenin which is found in brown adipose and serves to increase heat production. Uncoupling agents will cause increased permeability of the mitochondria membrane, necessitating more oxygen consumption in order to generate the same ion gradient. Since more oxygen is consumed to generate the same gradient, more oxygen would be consumed to generate the same amount of ATP, so the ratio of oxygen consumption to ATP generation increases. (FA2020 p78)
Another way of thinking about this is that oxygen will continued to be consumed to attempt to generate the gradient, but the leaky membrane will prevent the gradient from being formed properly and therefore prevent ATP from being formed. Thus there is the same amount of oxygen consumed for little to no ATP being made so again the ratio of oxygen consumption to ATP generation increases. This is closer to what actually happens in the body but I found it easier to think about it the first way.