Phorphorylative electron transport chains lacking a cytochrome bc1 complex

Abstract

Electron transport-coupled phosphorylation with fumarate as terminal acceptor in Wolinella succinogenes yields less than 1 ATP/2 electrons. The delta mu H generated by the electron transport is 0.18 V and the H+/electron ratio is 1. The electron transport chain is made up of two dehydrogenases (hydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase) that catalyze the reduction of menaquinone, and fumarate reductase which catalyzes the oxidation of menaquinol. C-type cytochromes are not involved. The phosphorylative electron transport with sulfur as terminal acceptor in W. succinogenes or Desulfuromonas acetoxidans does not involve known quinones. The ATP yields should be even smaller than those with fumarate. Succinate oxidation by sulfur, which is a catabolic reaction in D. acetoxidans, is accomplished by reversed electron transport.