series of electron carrier proteins that shuttle high-energy electrons during ATP-generating reactions
Electron Transport Chain
These electron carrier proteins are known as the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells and the plasma membrane in prokaryotic cells. It consists of a series of protein complexes, including NADH dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, cytochrome b-c1 complex, cytochrome c, and ATP synthase.
During ATP-generating reactions, high-energy electrons are transferred through the ETC from molecules such as NADH and FADH2 to oxygen. This transfer causes the proteins in the ETC to pump protons from the mitochondrial matrix (or cytoplasm in prokaryotes) into the intermembrane space (or periplasmic space in prokaryotes). This generates an electrochemical gradient, which is used by the ATP synthase complex to produce ATP.
Overall, the ETC is a vital component of cellular respiration and is responsible for the majority of ATP generation in cells.
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