* Occurs in **inner membrane / cristae** of mitochondria
\
* Aerobic process
\
* Removes e- from glucose, pyruvate and Acetyl CoA
\
* ==**Oxidative phosphorylation**== occurs here
\
* ==**Carrier proteins (I, II, III, IV)**== **in inner membrane (electron acceptors):** receive electrons from electron transporters (NADH, FADH2) → pump protons against \[ \] gradient into intermembrane space to supply energy to ATP synthase
* Highly acidic environment in intermembrane space
* ==CoQ (Ubiquinon):== can be fully oxidized and reduced during passing of electrons b/w protein complexes
* Soluble carrier
* ==Cyt C (Cytochrome C):== bound to Iron atom which transfers electrons b/w **Complex III and Complex IV** for redox rxns
* Protein carrier
* Used for genetic relations
\
* Final electron acceptor (after electrons have passed though all proteins): ==**Oxygen**== → combines w/ H+ to form H2O
\
* ==**ATP Synthase:**== drives protons down the gradient towards matrix (high \[ \] → low \[ \]) to catalyze ADP + Pi → ATP
* pH + Electrical Gradient: **Proton Motive Force**
* If pH of intermembrane space is higher than normal → less H+ → less cellular respiration occurring
\
* NADH creates more ATP (3x) than FADH2 (2x)
* NADH pumps more protons to carrier proteins than FADH2 because NADH enters the protein complex earlier than FADH2 and it enters Complex I (FADH2 enters Complex II)
\
* Total glucose produced = 36 ATP in eukaryotes and 38 in prokaryotes (no mitochondria so don’t need to pump NADH into matrix → saving 2 ATP during glycolysis)