Photosynthesis and Chemiosmotic Hypothesis

Chemiosmotic Hypothesis

A chemiosmotic hypothesis is a biological process that was theorized in 1961 by a British biochemist known by the name Peter Dennis Mitchell. It is a process by which ATP molecules are produced through the action of ATP synthase. ATP is the abbreviation that is used for adenosine triphosphate. As theorized by Peter Dennis Mitchell, it is a process that describes the way in which the ATP molecules or the energy molecules are produced as a result of the process of photosynthesis. The biochemist was awarded the Nobel prize for his significant contributions to the field of Biology as his work provided a deeper insight into the entire process of the Chemiosmotic hypothesis.

NADP or Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) is produced together with ATP throughout the light or photochemical reactions taking place during the process of photosynthesis. These are all the essential components involved in the process of photosynthesis. During the process, they are used for the dark reaction or in the Calvin Cycle for the production of sugar molecules, which is actually the final product.

What is Photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is a technique used among the plant kingdom, algae and other bacteria to absorb energy obtained from exposure to sunlight and convert it into chemical energy.

(Image to be added soon)

What Happens During Photosynthesis?

The definition of photosynthesis describes it as the process which occurs in chloroplasts of green plants via photosynthetic pigments known as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotene, and xanthophyll. All green plants and trees and a few other autotrophic organisms utilize photosynthesis to produce nutrients utilizing carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight available. The products generated in the chemical reaction of photosynthesis are glucose and oxygen.

The process needs the green plants and trees to generate glucose, which can then be used by the plant to generate the chemicals needed for its growth. But it could also be deposited as starch and reconfigured into glucose whenever the plant needs energy. It could be used in the process of cellular respiration, thus, in turn, releasing the stored energy within molecules.

Chemiosmotic Hypothesis: The Process 

(Image to be added soon)

Throughout this procedure, ATP - Adenosine triphosphate molecules are generated as a result of the proton gradient that continues to exist around the thylakoid membrane. The essential components required for the chemiosmosis process are the ATP synthase proton gradient, and proton pump. The enzyme needed for the production of ATP molecules is known as ATP synthase.

The ATP synthase enzyme comprises 2 subunits, which include: F0 and F1. The F0 subunit is involved in the transfer of protons through all the membrane, which causes modifications in the F1 configuration, and it leads to the activation of enzymes. The enzyme phosphorylates ADP converts ADP molecules into the ATP molecules. The gradient of the proton that exists across the membrane is the primary influence of the ATP synthase. 

In the light reaction step or light reaction phase of photosynthesis, chlorophyll, with the aid of photosystems, absorbs the light. It leads to the phenomenon of hydrolysis, in which the water molecules are separated, producing electrons and protons throughout the process. Released electrons are excited and travel to a higher level of energy and are transported by an electron transport system. Meanwhile, the protons released from the stroma begin to accumulate into the membrane. This process is what results in the production of the essential proton gradient, which is actually a product as a result of the functions carried out by the electron transport chain. 

The tiny quantity of the resultant protons is utilized by the photosystem to reduce NADP+ to NADPH by the electrons obtained from water photolysis. Ultimately, the proton gradient falls and releases heat, energy, and protons back to the stroma through the ATP synthase F0. This resulting energy causes alterations throughout the configuration of F-1, and this, in turn, stimulates the ATP synthase that transforms the ADP.