查看文章

The so-called" alternative" electron transport proteins, the rotenone-insensitive NAD (P) H dehydrogenases and the alternative oxidase, distinguish the inner membrane of plant mitochondria from its animal counterpart. These proteins provide plant tissues possessing them with the potential to modulate the efficiency with which energy is conserved by respiratory electron transport. The activities associated with these enzymes have intrigued scientists from at least 1778, when Lamarck commented on the thermogenesis displayed by some highly specialized flowers, a process in which alternative electron transport proteins are now known to have an important role. In more recent times, many studies have been undertaken to determine the nature of the alternative electron transport proteins and to understand their role in plant physiology. We discuss, within a historical perspective, our current understanding of the …