Volume 8, Number 4, p.p. 131–137
A theory of proton and election transport by redox enzyme reactions via a shuttle: I. Mathematical kinetic analysis and the evolution of the redox potential gradient
G. Demmano,1,2 E. Selegny,2 and J.-C. Vincent1
1
Département de Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences B.P. 812, Yaoundé, Cameroun
2
Laboratoire “Polymères, Biopolymères, Membranes”, UMR 6522 CNRS, Université de Rouen, 76130 Mont Saint Aignan, France
We present a theoretical approach of primary transport systems with constantly recycled mobile carrier shuttles using a detailed model of proton and electron transport. The present mathematical approach regroups the prediction, description and extension of the different types of reversible and irreversible variants of the model. The basic model is composed of two inverse redox reactions catalysed by different enzymes on each side of the membrane. These reactions are interconnected by electrons and protons or hydrogen transported via a constantly regenerated transmembrane carrier shuttle. The difference in the numbers of protons on the two sides of the membrane monitors the pH dependence of the transport and of redox potentials. Correlations between enzyme activities, transport fluxes, carrier concentration, membrane selectivity and redox potentials using intrinsically reversible and irreversible reactions were investigated for diffusion- and reaction rate-controlled processes.
Keywords:
biomimetic, carrier, electron, membrane transport, proton, redox potential