Why do cells need proton pumps?

Question

Why do cells need proton pumps? I am working on an assignment for my biology class but I am really lost. Can some one please help me!

ok....also if the proton pump didn't work, what processes would be halted?

Answer 1

Proton pumps is neccessary in the production of ATP. ATP is the energy source for all cells.

Protons is another name for hydrogen ions. In the process of cellular respiration, sugar and water is broken down, and you get a whole bunch of hydrogen ions.

They eventually end up in the matrix of the mitochondria. The mitochondria is the "power house" of the cell. Are you with me so far? lol.

Anyways, there are protein complexes in the inner membrane of the mitochondria that pump out the hydrogen ions. These are your proton pumps. They pump out the ions into the innermembrane space. The ions creates a gradient here. In other words, it gets so crowded here, that they garner and build up energy. Then the ions need to go from an area of high concentration to an area of lower concentration. They do this by going through another protein complex in the membrane, called the ATP synthase. The energy gathered from the ions is harnessed and changes ADP molecules into ATP molecules.

You need ATP to live. Without it, your cells won't have any energy and they will die. Same thing goes for the pumps, if they don't pump out the hydrogen ions(protons), then ATP won't be made. And then the cells die. No pump = No life. I hope I was clear. Good luck

Answer 2

There are a couple reasons why proton pumps or similar structures are useful to cells.

One is to maintain a constant environment. Much of what a cell does, after all, is chemistry. And some reactions work a lot better with lots or few protons hanging around. Most cells have adapted to a certain pH, and so if they can maintain that pH internally when the outside is different, they can survive better.

Another is to store energy. The mitochondria, for example, is famous for building up a difference in charge on one side (which requires energy from sugar) and then letting that difference balance out (which gives energy to make ATP). Or, more accurately, it does both at the same time.

If you didn't have proton pumps, you couldn't do these things, obviously. That means less adaptability and no energy the way most cells are designed now. You might also have trouble doing other things which rely on charge but not protons specifically, such as sending nerve signals and the like. Bummer.

Answer 3

You can understand why it is important by reading the following taken from WIKIPEDIA: "In cell respiration, the pumps grab protons from the matrix, the space between the two enclosing membranes of the organelle, and release the protons within the inner membrane. The confined protons create a difference or gradient in both pH and electric charge (ignoring differences in buffer capacity) and establish an electrochemical potential that acts as a kind of battery or reservoir of stored energy for the cell"

Answer 4

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Answer 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_pump