2006-08-05 00:46:18 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Just to add to the previous answers...an ATPase does not only break down ATP, but it also synthesizes it. It sounds like a contradiction, so just hang with me a moment! :)
ATPase is enzyme found in the cell membranes of prokaryotes and in the mitochondrial membranes of eukaryotes. It has sort of a corkscrew action in which the movement of protons drives the breakdown and synthesis of ATP across the membrane. As ATP is broken down, energy and a phosphate are group are given off. This energy and the phosphate group are then used to synthesize ATP by joining ADP and the phosphate group.
So, an ATPase actually has two functions.
2006-08-05 08:47:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atpase Function
2016-10-18 11:51:00 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you have any other answers on here, so I'll bite. If you get a better answer, take theirs.
I don't know the specifics of ATPase, but I'm probably right on this one, if nothing else I can teach you a lot.
First of all, if anything ends in "ase", it's an enzyme. Not only that, it would be an enzyme that probably breaks another substance down. There are catalases, reductases, polymerases, etc.
ATP is Adenosine Triphosphate. It is a molecule that contains a good deal of stored energy. It's called triphosphate because the molecule has three phosphate groups on it. Phosphate groups are PO4.
Anyway......when you pull off one phosphate group, you get out adenosine diphosphate (or ADP), the phosphate group, and a good deal of energy. The enzyme ATPase would assist this reaction, and thereby help in the control of it! That's what ATPase's function is.
Anyway, ADP can be further broken down to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to get out even more energy. The resulting AMP can even have the last phosphate group taken off to get just plain adenosine, releasing even more energy.
So.....you can see if you start off with a complete ATP molecule.....there is a whole lot of stored energy there to tap into if you can get energy out of it 3 times.
Any further questions I can help you with write me at
fortitudinousskeptic@yahoo.com
Have a good day!
2006-08-05 00:57:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ATP·ase (t-ps, -z) KEY
NOUN:
An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP, releasing energy that is used in the cell; adenosine triphosphatase.
2006-08-05 00:52:08 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋