ATP synthase is a protein found on the inner membrane of the mitochondria

For your replies, select the proposed experiments of at least 2 classmates that used a different protein from yours and comment on what would happen if your protein were localized to the compartment they suggested. How would this alter cellular physiology? Would it be similar to what they speculated? attached is the two article to read before you answer. these two question

first post

My experiment proposal involves relocating ATP synthase from neuronal eukaryotic mitochondria to the cell’s respective plasma membrane. To do this, we would need to delete ATP synthase’s native signal sequence for mitochondria and replace it with the signal sequence for the plasma membrane.

ATP synthase is a protein found on the inner membrane of the mitochondria. ATP synthase functions as part of the cellular energy generation process. It combines adenosine triphosphate (ADP) and phosphate to create ATP. It uses the concentration gradient of protons, in this case, sodium ions, to power the process. (Goodsell, 2005)

If the ATP synthases were instructed to relocate to the plasma membrane, a few alterations to the cell’s normal function would occur, ATP would not be synthesized in the mitochondria as there would be no joining enzyme in the presence of ADP and phosphate. However, on the cell membrane, a proton concentration gradient is established by potassium and sodium during signal transmission. Additionally, in the sodium/potassium pump cycle, ATP is broken down into ADP and phosphate. (Pirahanchi et al., 2021)

The two conditions—the presence of a proton gradient and the presence of ADP and phosphate—may allow for the continued generation of ATP for the cell. However, the occurrence of ATP generation would be contingent upon the presence of ATP prior to the relocation of ATP synthase from the mitochondria to the plasma membrane. In the new location, it would be unable to generate new ATP; rather, it would recycle ATP used in the sodium/potassium pump activation.

The recycling action of the ATP synthase in its new location would not be problematic if the sodium/potassium pump were the only part of the cell using ATP, but this is not the case. Because so many other cellular processes require ATP and do not always result in phosphate and ADP, cellular ATP would be quickly depleted. ATP depletion would result in catastrophe on all levels of organization.

Neuronal cell dysfunction in the experimental cells would occur first. This would mean reduced ability to carry signals from the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous system and vice versa. In the worst-case scenario, the brain would be unable to communicate with the vital life-sustaining organs such as the heart and lungs. Organismal life would end as the respective organs would stop conducting their responsibilities.

The speed at which this effect would take place would depend on how many neural cells were modified as well as their location in the body. For example, if the neural cells of the hand alone were modified, the subject would only lose the function of their hand. If the neural cells of the spinal cord at level C4 or higher were modified, the subject would likely perish altogether as all neural signaling below this level would cease.

The precision and intricacies of life as God created it is truly staggering. The care that he put into our creation is remarkable, as one alteration such as the one discussed above could create such profound detriment. Not only did God create humans with such exactness, but he also created other beings with eukaryotic cells such as animals and prokaryotic beings such as bacteria and archaea. Each is fundamentally different but similar in that all were created with extraordinary complexity.

References

Goodsell, D. (2005). PDB101: Molecule of the month: ATP synthase. http://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/72

Pirahanchi, Y., Jessu, R., & Aeddula, N. R. (2021). Physiology, sodium-potassium pump. StatPearls (). StatPearls Publishi