Question

I understand that active transport is required to make a proton gradient, which provides energy to push/drive ATP synthase.

Following this information, however, is it active transport or passive diffusion during ATP synthesis? please explain. thank you.

Answer 1

The process of formation of ATP takes place in inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotes and in plasma membrane in prokaryotes. It occurs with the help of ATP synthase which is an integral membrane protein. The formation of ATP is an active process.

During the electron transport chain, the electrons are transported from one electron carrier to the other. In doing so, protons are also transported from mitochondrial Matrix to intermembrane space. It results in the accumulation of proton in the intermembrane space of Mitochondria. These protons are pumped back into the mitochondrial matrix by ATP synthase enzyme, which leads to the generation of Proton gradient across inner mitochondrial membrane. The electrochemical energy stored in Proton gradient is used by ATP synthase enzyme to synthesise ATP.

Hence, the generation of ATP is an active process because it is using electrochemical energy stored in Proton gradient.

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