The Bhopalator 161“6x9” b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and MatterNADH, ATP, O 2 , CO 2 , H 2 O, etc.), and inorganic ions (e.g., H+, Na+, K+,
Ca^2 +, etc.). The interior space of the cell is so crowded with these molecu-
lar entities that changing the concentration of any one component at a
given locus within the cell may affect the chemical activities of others in
distant locations within the cell due to the so-called “crowding effects”
[231]. All these molecular entities are in constant motions under physio-
logical temperatures, and these motions can be divided into three main
categories: (i) up-hill motions (e.g., ion pumping, molecular motor move-
ment, synthesis of ATP, etc.; also called energy-requiring, or endergonic
processes), (ii) down-hill motions (e.g., diffusion of ions across a mem-
brane, ATP hydrolysis; also called energy-dissipating or exergonic pro-
cesses), and (iii) random motions (e.g., thermal fluctuations or Brownian
motions of biopolymers, and collisions among molecules). In order for the
cell to carry out its biological functions such as growth, chemotaxis, gene
expression, cell cycle, intercellular communication, cell differentiation,
and apoptosis (or programmed cell death), evolutionarily selected uphill
reactions must be coupled to their conjugate down-hill reactions so as not
to violate the laws of thermodynamics. Such coupled processes are often
referred to as “energy-coupled” processes, meaning that the free energy
released from the down-hill reaction is partially “transferred” to that of the
up-hill reaction in such a manner that the net free energy change accom-
panying the overall coupled process is negative. Examples of energy-
coupled processes include respiration-driven ATP synthesis (or oxidative
phosphorylation), ATP- or respiration-driven active transport of protons
across the mitochondrial inner membrane, ATP-driven molecular motors
and rotors, and the ATP-driven rotation of the g-subunit of the F 1 F 0 –
ATPase (see Figure 3.41). The conformon theory maintains that all such
coupled processes proceed through the production and utilization of con-
formons [65]. This idea can be represented schematically as follows:(Exergonic Reaction) → (Conformons) → (Endergonic Reaction) (3.54)When Scheme (3.54) is applied to mitochondria which are known to
utilize the free energy released from respiration to drive the synthesis of
ATP from ADP and Pi or to pump protons across the mitochondrial inner
membrane, the following scheme results:b2861_Ch-03.indd 161 17-10-2017 11:46:59 AM