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Question #46756
The Question
According to the chemiosmotic hypothesis, ATP synthesis requires a membrane, a proton pump, a proton gradient, and ATP synthase. While prokaryotes like Cyanobacteria successfully perform photophosphorylation, Mycoplasma cannot. Which of the following structural constraints fundamentally prevents Mycoplasma from establishing a light-driven electrochemical gradient?
Options
- A.
The absence of a rigid cell wall, which is required to maintain the high osmotic pressure generated by proton accumulation.
- B.
The inability to develop specialized intracellular membrane invaginations required for lumenal proton sequestration.
- C.
The complete lack of a phospholipid bilayer, which prevents the embedding of the F0-F1 ATP synthase complex.
- D.
The absence of double-membrane bound organelles like chloroplasts to house the electron transport chain.
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Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Thylakoid Lumen Sequestration|Cell Cycle and Cell Division|Mycoplasma
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize that Mycoplasma lacks a cell wall but fail to connect this simplified structural organization to physiological limitations, such as the inability to form internal membrane compartments (chromatophores/thylakoids) necessary for chemiosmosis.
The trap in Option D exploits the common misconception of conflating the requirement of membrane-bound organelles (chloroplasts) with membrane invaginations (thylakoids in prokaryotes).
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Cell – The Unit of Life - Class 11 |
| Concept | Thylakoid Lumen Sequestration |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |