Question

HELP!!! TIMED!!!

The proteins that take part in photosynthesis are in the membrane of chloroplasts. Scientists who want to study the genetic material found inside the chloroplast will sometimes use methods like electroporation. This creates holes in the membrane to allow nucleic acids to enter or escape. The holes will quickly close after electroporation is complete.

Assuming no damage to the membrane proteins occurs, how would large holes in the membrane affect photosynthesis?

A) Photosynthesis would continue, but at a lowered pace because the damaged membrane would limit the ability to capture sunlight.

B) Photosynthesis would not continue, because holes in the membrane would disrupt the concentration gradient across the membrane.

C) Photosynthesis would occur at half the normal rate, because holes in the membrane would separate photosystem I from photosystem II.

D) Photosynthesis would continue normally, because the membrane is simply a physical scaffold to hold proteins in place and has no function in the process.

Answer 1

Large holes in the chloroplast membrane would disrupt photosynthesis by preventing the maintenance of necessary hydrogen ion gradients, essential for ATP production. Therefore, the correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

Large holes in the membrane created via electroporation would disrupt photosynthesis because they would interfere with the establishment and maintenance of the necessary concentration gradients. The correct answer to the question is (B) Photosynthesis would not continue, because holes in the membrane would disrupt the concentration gradient across the membrane. In photosynthesis, gradients of hydrogen ions are fundamentally important for the process known as chemiosmosis. During chemiosmosis, hydrogen ions move down their electrochemical gradient through ATP synthase, which generates ATP. If the membrane were open to diffusion, the ions would tend to diffuse back across, mediated by their concentration gradient, without passing through ATP synthase, thus failing to produce ATP required for photosynthesis.