Question

Minerals associated with cytochrome is
(a) Cu
(b) Mg
(c) Fe and Mg
(d) Fe and Cu

Answer 1

Hint: Cytochromes are the electron carriers in the Electron transport chain. ETC takes place in the mitochondria and results in the formation of ATP. Some minerals are present as a part of the electron carriers and play a crucial role in the P production.

Complete answer:
Minerals associated with cytochrome are Fe and Cu. Cytochromes are Iron-containing (Iron porphyrin protein) electron transferring (the electrons are picked up and released by Fe) except Cytochrome-a₃.
Cytochrome-a₃ contains both iron and copper, in this the Fe picks the electron and through Cu, it hands over the electron to oxygen, so cytochrome a₃ is also known as the terminal electron donor.
So, the commonly found and required minerals that are associated with the cytochrome system are iron and copper.
So, the correct answer is 'Fe and Cu'.

Additional Information:
- The electron transport system takes place in the mitochondria as the last step of aerobic respiration.
- The electron transport system consists of a series of precisely arranged 9 electron carriers also called coenzymes, in the inner membrane of the mitochondria, including the cristae of mitochondria.
-These are NAD, FMN, FAD, Coenzyme Q or ubiquinone, Cytochrome-b, Cytochrome-c₁, Cytochrome-c, Cytochrome-a, and Cytochrome-a₃.

Note:
- Cytochromes were discovered by MacCunn and the term cytochrome was given by K.P. Kailin.
- ETC is also known as the Cytochrome system because 5 out of 9 components are cytochrome.
- Iron sulfate is the component of ETC(complex I, II, III) and helps in the transfer of electrons from FMNH₂ to coenzyme Q. Thus, deficiency of iron directly affects the ETC.
- The process of ATP synthesis during oxidation of coenzyme is called oxidative phosphorylation, so ETC is also called the oxidative phosphorylation pathway.