MITOCHONDRION
(Structure and Function)
Prepared by:
Angelie A. Cabande
BSED-Science
ANAEROBES
organisms that captured and
utilized energy by means of
oxygen‐independent (anaerobic)
metabolism, such as glycolysis
and fermentation
These organisms that became
dependent on oxygen were the Earth ’s
first aerobes
they eventually gave rise to all of the
oxygen‐dependent prokaryotes and
eukaryotes living today.
STRUCTURE
MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANES
mitochondrion contains two membranes: the
outer mitochondrial membrane and the inner
mitochondrial membrane .
The outer
mitochondrial
membrane completely
encloses the
mitochondrion,
serving as its outer
boundary.
The inner
mitochondrial
membrane is
subdivided into two
major domains that
have different
protein residents
and carry out
distinct functions.
Cristae
The name is from the
Latin for crest or
plume, and it gives the
inner membrane its
characteristic wrinkled
shape, providing a large
amount of surface area
for chemical reactions
to occur on.
Cristal membrane
Cristal membranes,
which extend into
the mitochondrial
interior as tubules
or lamellae.
The inner boundary
membrane and
internal cristal
membranes are
joined to one
another by narrow
tubular connections,
or cristae junctions.
The membranes of the mitochondrion
divide the organelle into two aqueous
compartments, one within the interior of the
mitochondrion, called the matrix , and a
second between the outer and inner
membrane, called the intermembrane
space.
MATRIX
The matrix has a gel‐like consistency owing
to the presence of a high concentration.
THE MITOCHONDRIAL MATRIX
In addition to an array of enzymes, the mitochondrial
matrix also contains ribosomes (of considerably smaller
size than those found in the cytosol) and several
molecules of DNA, which is circular in higher plants and
animals
Thus, mitochondria possess their own genetic material
and the machinery to manufacture their own RNAs and
proteins.
Mitochondrial
Ribosome
is a protein complex that is
active in mitochondrial and
functions as
a riboprotein for translating
mitochondrial mRNAs enco
ded in mtDNA.
Mitochondrial
DNA
is the chemical
name for the
molecule that
carries genetic
instructions in all
living things.
Intermembrane space
In cell biology, it
is most commonly
described as the
region between
the inner
membrane and the
outer membrane
of a mitochondrion
or a chloroplast.
ATP Synthase
particles
is a mitochondrial enzyme
localized in the inner membrane,
where it catalyzes
the synthesis of ATP from ADP
and phosphate, driven by a flux of
protons across a gradient
generated by electron transfer
from the proton chemically
positive to the negative side.
The outer mitochondrial membrane and outer
bacterial membrane both contain porins , integral
proteins that have a relatively large internal channel
(e.g., 2–3 nm) surrounded by a barrel of strands.
FUNCTION
In eukaryotes, the utilization of oxygen as a means of energy
extraction takes place in a specialized organelle, the
mitochondrion
These organelles are best known for their role in generating
the ATP that is used to run most of the cell ’ s energy‐
requiring activities.
mitochondria are often associated with fatty acid‐containing
oil droplets from which they derive raw materials to be
oxidized.
Mitochondria are large enough to be seen in the light
microscope and their presence within cells has been known
for over a hundred years.
At one end of the spectrum, mitochondria can appear as
individual, bean‐shaped organelles (Figure 5.1 b ), ranging
from 1 to 4 μm in length.
At the other end of the spectrum,
mitochondria can appear as a highly
branched, interconnected tubular network.
Most importantly, mitochondria can fuse
with one another, or split in two
As shown in Figure 5.2 b , ER tubules can encircle
the mitochondrion like a noose.
The balance between fusion and fission is likely a
major determinant of mitochondrial number, length,
and degree of interconnection.
When fusion becomes more frequent than fission,
the mitochondria tend to become more elongated
and interconnected, whereas a predominance of
fission leads to the formation of more numerous and
distinct mitochondria.
Mitochondria occupy 15 to 20 percent of the volume of
an average mammalian liver cell and contain more than a
thousand different proteins.
The movements of a sperm are powered by ATP produced in
these mitochondria.
Mitochondria are also prominent in many plant cells
where they are the primary suppliers of ATP in
nonphotosynthetic tissues, as well as being a source
of ATP in photosynthetic leaf cells during periods of
dark.
AEROBIC METABOLISM
IN THE MITOCHONDRION
END
Reference:
Iwasa, J & Marshall, W. (2016). Karp’s
Cell and Molecular Biology(concept
and experiment). 8th Edition. USA:
John Wiley & Sons, pp. 199-203
