Ask A Scientist Molecular Biology Archive

 
name         Kristian B.
status       student
age          17

Question -   Where in E-coli does respiration take place. Will a
detergent effecting the cell membrane effect oxidative phosphorilation?
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In eukaryotes oxidative phosphorylation takes place on the inner membrane of the mitochondria.  
In bacteria since there are no organelles, this takes place at the cell membrane.  That sounds 
like an interesting problem to investigate.
 
vanhoeck
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Dear Kristian:

Additionally, it has been fairly well-documented that mitochondria originated as 
endosymbiotic bacteria, whose main contribution was to carry out these respiratory 
functions for their eucaryotic cellular hosts, as described in the following section 
entitled, "Both Mitochondria and Chloroplasts Probably Evolved from Endosymbiotic 
Bacteria" in the online textbook, Molecular Biology of the Cell @ N.C.B.I.:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Search&db=books&doptcmdl=GenBookHL&term=mitochondria+AND+evolution+AND+cell%5Bbook%5D+AND+7633%5Buid%5D&rid=cell.section.3592#3621

Most detergents will disrupt membranes to some extent, so this does sound like an 
interesting experiment to try.

Best of luck with your investigation,

Jeff Buzby, Ph.D.
CHOC Research Institute

NEWTON AAS
Div. of Educational Programs
Argonne National Laboratory
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