Chapter 7, Problem 5TYU

Summary Introduction

To examine: The experimental treatment that will increase the rate of sucrose transport into a plant cell.

Introduction: A transporter is a protein that spans the lipid bilayer of a plasma membrane and helps the molecules, ions, and other solutes to pass through it. Active transport maintains the internal concentration of solutes that differ in concentration from the environment. Active transport requires energy expenditure to perform the work. The energy is supplied by the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). A cotransporter is a protein that couples a substance against their concentration gradient in a company of a substance that diffuses down to their concentration gradient. In a cotransporter, the ATP molecule is utilized indirectly to provide the energy necessary for cotransport. ATP is utilized by a proton pump to translocate the hydrogen ions (H⁺). This proton gradient is utilized for the transport of sucrose molecule by a cotransporter.