Both Thermogenin and 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP)uncouple Oxidation from ATP Synthesis

question 11

Essay

Both thermogenin and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)uncouple oxidation from ATP synthesis.Thermogenin is expressed in the mitochondria of brown fat cells in newborn animals and adult mammals that hibernate.DNP was marketed in the 1930s as a diet pill,but in addition to causing weight loss it sometimes caused death.
a.Compare the mechanisms by which these uncouplers affect ATP synthesis.
b.What function does thermogenin serve for brown fat cells?
c.Why is the rationale for DNP as a diet drug?
d.Considering locations of the effects in an animal and the possibility for allosteric regulation,suggest why thermogenin is advantageous and DNP dangerous for humans?

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Definitions:

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemicals found in the nervous system that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another, influencing mental processes and behavior.

Myelin

An insulating layer, or sheath, made of protein and fatty substances, that surrounds the axons of some neurons, enabling fast and efficient transmission of electrical impulses.

Synaptic Cleft

The small gap at a synapse between neurons, across which neurotransmitters move from one neuron to another.

Terminal Buttons

The small knobs at the end of an axon that release chemicals called neurotransmitters into the synapse, thereby transmitting nerve impulses to another nerve cell.