Uncoupling Protein 1

[rico11]

Okay, so thermogenin (UCP1) increases heat production, but how does it changed the ATP produced per oxygen used and how does it change the amount of ATP made per mole of a given fuel?

I believe that thermogenin just imports H+ atoms back into the matrix and lowers the H+ gradient in the mitochondria. So I would think the rate that ATP synthase would be slowed by a weaker H+ gradient, which would in turn, reduce the rate of ATP production, but wouldn't change the efficiency of the production (it would make it slower, but make just as much ATP with the same input).

 

Can anyone clarify for me?

 

Thanks!

 

-Ricardo