Final answer:
A) Only neutral compounds such as sugars are transported.
The false statement about cotransport is that only neutral compounds such as sugars are transported. Cotransport can involve both charged ions and neutral molecules, and does not directly require ATP as it often relies on gradients maintained by ATP-dependent processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement which is false concerning the process known as cotransport is A) Only neutral compounds such as sugars are transported. Cotransport can involve the simultaneous movement of both charged ions and uncharged molecules, such as sugars and amino acids.
In a cotransport mechanism, two substances are moved through the cell membrane at the same time, which can be in the same direction (symport) or in opposite directions (antiport). For example, the Na+/glucose symport protein in the kidneys uses the concentration gradient of sodium, maintained by ATP-consuming pumps, to facilitate the transport of glucose against its concentration gradient into the cell, a form of secondary active transport. This process does not directly use ATP by the cotransporter itself, which is why option B) ATP is not required by the transport protein holds true for cotransport.
Additionally, cotransport allows for the movement of molecules against a concentration gradient (D) as seen in glucose reabsorption in the kidneys. Cotransport can involve both facilitated transport, which is energy-independent, and active transport, which requires energy usually in the form of ATP when a primary pump maintains the gradient used by cotransporters.