The question is incomplete. The complete question is:
Question: A tomato plant is mutated with gamma radiation. A cellular analysis reveals that ATP synthase complexes found in the thylakoid membrane are inserted backward into the membrane. What is the most likely outcome of this error?
A. A proton gradient will not be established in the thylakoid space in response to the activation of photosystem II
B. The proton gradient in the thylakoid space will not be able to be used to generate ATP
C. The thylakoid membrane will become permeable to protons as a result of this change
D. The ATP synthase will pump protons into the stroma in this orientation
E. This change is not likely to have any effect on the function of the ATP synthase enzyme with respect to its role in photosynthesis
Answer:
B. The proton gradient in the thylakoid space will not be able to be used to generate ATP
Step-by-step explanation:
Under normal orientation, the proton channels formed by CF0 particles span the thylakoid membrane and transport the protons from thylakoid space into the stroma down the concentration gradient. The CF1 unit of ATP synthase has an enzymatic function and uses the energy of the proton concentration gradient to drive ATP synthesis in the stromal side of the thylakoid membrane.
Insertion of ATP synthase complex backward into the thylakoid membrane would not allow its proton channels to move the protons according to the concentration gradient (from thylakoid space into the stroma) and the energy of proton concentration gradient could not be harnessed to drive ATP synthesis.