Cell Fractionation Lab Report

This proto-mitochondria lived on the surface of the host cell. They propose that a “new cell” or “eocyte” formed “blebs” (membrane bound extracellular protusions) that encapsulated or enveloped the proteobacteria. These blebs facilitated material exchange with the ectosymbiotic proto-mitochondria. The expansion of the blebs around the proto-mitochondria is what formed the cytoplasm. When the protomitochondria pass through the blebs, they obtain a second membrane. The nucleus is continuous with the outermembrane (proto-nucelus). The continuous spaces between the blebs then gave rise to the endoplasmic reticulum (proto-ER). A continuous plasma membrane was formed based on fusion of the blebs that isolated the functioning system within the cell away from the environment. This proposed hypothesis is driven by

In our experiment we will use differential centrifugation to isolate the mitochondria of cauliflower and then assay SDH activity using a fixed time assay. We will then measure protein content in our fractions and calculate specific activity and total activity of our fractions.

Mitochondria and chloroplasts have two membranes that surround them. The inner membrane is probably from the engulfed bacterium and this is supported by that the enzymes and proteins are most like their counterparts in prokaryotes. The outer membrane is formed from the plasma membrane or endoplasmic reticulum of the host cell. The electron transport enzymes and the H+ ATPase are only found in the mitochondria and chloroplasts of the eukaryotic cell. (2)

Mitochondria are small organelles found in eukaryotic cells which respire aerobically. They are responsible for generating energy from food to ‘power the cell’. They contain their own DNA, reproducing by dividing in 2. As they closely resemble bacteria, it gave the idea that they were derived from bacteria (which were engulfed by ancestors of the eukaryotes we know today). This idea has since been confirmed from further investigations, and it is now widely accepted. (Alberts et al., 2010a)

Without cell division and the cell cycle nearly all life would fail to exist. Cell division allows an organism to not only replace its own cells but to create offspring. The cell cycle consists of two main parts: interphase and mitotic phase. Within these two phases the processes can be broken down into further categories. Interphase can be broken down into three subphases that are the necessary preparations the cell makes in order to be ready to divide during mitosis. For this lab we looked mainly at the mitotic phase because of its fascinating and rapid changes to the cell. The cell types we looked at were prepared slides of whitefish and onion root tip.

Mitochondria, dubbed the ‘powerhouse of the cell’, are a type of organelle present in most human cells. Their primary function is to generate Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s principal source of chemical energy. Unlike most other organelles, mitochondria store their own set of genetic material, distinct from the DNA situated in a cell’s nucleus. Although this ‘mitochondrial genome’ represents only 0.1% of a cell’s genetic information, it often plays a significant role in development.

The first hypothesis was unsupported as Tube 4 (positive control) had the most succinate (.2mL) but ended with the lowest % transmittance out of the three sample we were examining (Tubes 2-4). We believe this discrepancy to be due to the variability of the mitochondrial solution. If the Tube 4 mitochondrial suspension had less concentrated enzyme than the solution for Tube 3 and Tube 2 then Tube 4 would be biologically incapable of matching their rate of reduction. It's worth mentioning that Tube 2 and 3 had a %T change of 23.1% and 23.2% respectively while Tube 4 exhibited a change of only 20.4%; further supporting the idea that Tube 4, despite its increase in succinate concentration, wa lacking in other enzymes/proteins necessary for the

Once a upon time, there was a lonely mitochondria named Sophia Mitochondria. Sophia Mitochondria had been alone for a while and she does not know where her parents are. She want to find her parents so she decided to talk someone to help her which is her childhood best friend, David Chloroplast. However, before she called him, she did her normal routine. She took nutrients from one of their cells, breaks it down and turn it into energy. This routine is also known as cellular respiration. After that, she call her David Chloroplast and thirty minutes later, David Chloroplast was in front of her house. David Chloroplast and Sophia Mitochondria came to Bacteria Garden which Sophia Mitochondria’s parents favorite place to go every weekend. When they

Mitochondria are rod-shaped organelles that can be considered the power generators of a cell. They convert oxygen and nutrients into ATP. In turn, ATP powers most of the cell’s chemical reactions that allow the cell to function. Without mitochondria, certain cells would not be able to work and do their job. The cells would not be able to obtain enough energy to survive. A cell’s mitochondria relates to workers because they supply the cell with energy, just like how workers supply their energy to do their job. The mitochondria in a cell are responsible for providing energy so the cell can function, like how workers do certain tasks to keep the business thriving. Mitochondria are found in both plant and animal cells. However, they are found in

The mitochondria has been known as the powerhouse of the cell. What does that even mean? Well, what it means that the mitochondria does all of the cell energy conversion. It takes nutrients from the cell and transforms it into viable ATP. ATP, molecule adenosine triphosphate, is the energy that cells can use. The process in turning nutrients into ATP is called ATP Synthase. The first part of ATP synthase is an ending of cellular respiration. The mitochondria plays a small but large role in the cell. The structure of the mitochondria plays a huge part of cellular respiration. Mitochondrial structure has two membranes an inner and an outer. Inside the inner membrane you have the matrix and the cristae. The first part of cellular respiration is glycolysis, it is made outside of the mitochondria in a gel like fluid called the cytoplasm. Next, is the citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, named after the German researcher Hans Krebs, goes in through the outer membrane. Enzyme Acetyl CoA enters and combines the two carbon groups with another four carbon groups. The result is six carbon molecules citrate, which are acidic. The next part in the Krebs cycle is that the hydrogen atoms are stripped and produce NADH molecules. The final Krebs step is; ADP is transferred to ATP the succinate is oxidized forming another four carbon molecule. The two hydrogen carbons react and their electrons transform from FAD to FADH2. The Krebs cycle makes only about 4 ATP and in the

15 cell lines were acquired for the purpose of this experiment. Process of subcellular compartment fractionation was performed on these cell lines, this included complete cells, nucleus and cytosol (seen in

Some mutations serve as a form of natural selection and can help better the life of an organism. The mutation rate of the mitochondrial DNA has been proven to be one hundred fold higher than that of nuclear DNA. A recent study conducted by scientists has suggest the reason for the abundance of mitochondrial DNA mutations. In the study, they suggested that the nucleotide imbalance within mitochondria cause a decrease in polymerase gamma, or POLG, and an increase in mutation rates. The main responsibility POLG is to encode the DNA polymerase that duplicates the mitochondrial genome. This protein also consists of a two domains. The catalytic domain displays polymerase activity, while the anexonuclease domain recognizes and removes DNA base pair mistakes that occur during DNA replication. As a result of the vast population of mitochondrial DNA, mitochondria are considered heteroplasmic. Heteroplasmy surrounds the presence of various types of genomes within a single cell. When considering the severity of mutations and mitochondrial diseases heteroplasmy is a prominent factor. When a single cell divides mitochondrial segregation occurs in a random matter and the mitochondria is divided between daughter cells. This process is not very well organized, which causes the daughter cells to receive similar, but not identical, copies of their mitochondrial DNA. Unlike the segregation of mitochondrial DNA, chromosome

The mitochondria is known as the “power house” of a cell that functions at the site of respiration. Within the inner membrane, ATP synthesis occurs which provides energy to the cell and it other parts. Without function of a mitochondria, a cell would die; it has no energy to repair itself, has no energy to transport molecules across the membrane, transport nutrients, send signals to other cells, or any other processes. Metabolism, release of energy, movement, or forming new nucleotides would not occur simply because energy is not available.

Mitochondrion is an importance structure that lies in the cytoplasm area. Mitochondrion is the plural word for mitochondria, which is the key organelle that converts energy from one form to another. Mitochondria changes the chemical energy stored in food into compounds that are more convenient for the cell to use. The mitochondrion contains two special membranes. The outer membrane surrounds the organelle, and the inner membrane has many folds that increase the surface area of the mitochondrion.

My topic aims to investigate the effect of different frequencies of light on the number of cristae in the mitochondria of Drosophila melanogaster. Cells, tissues, organs, and an organism all depend on healthy and efficient mitochondria which fuel essential metabolic reactions and provide energy to various processes. Because of that, it is not surprising that mitochondria play central roles in making life and death decisions for the cell.