The Dangers of a Weight-Loss Drug" by Susan M. DeSimone and Annie Prud’homme-Genereux and "A Diet to Die For: An Exploration of Oxidative Phosphorylation" by Terry Platt and Eric Ribbens A good friend of yours, Connor Sick, is a member of the WVU wrestling team but has been struggling to make the weight class his coaches and he know he would be most competitive at. He has heard of a diet drug that is claimed to REALLY work. Connor knows you are taking Introduction to Biochemistry so he comes to you and asks you for advice on whether he should try the drug.

The information Connor found online said that DNP had helped several people lose weight but that you needed to be careful with dosage. Some of the side effects included a fever, cataracts, and rashes. There were even some reports of deaths. DNP was said to be a mitochondrial uncoupler.

You tell Connor that you will look into it and get back to him. Your initial research determines that DNP is 2,4-dinitrophenol You also show Connor a clinical report you found about another wrestler, Charles, that used DNP to lose weight quickly who ended up taking a double dose because he was afraid he wouldn’t make his weigh-in. Charles was admitted to the hospital with symptoms including: being flushed, breathing fast, excessive sweating, nausea, and weakness in his knees. Charles had experienced an overdose of DNP, which caused all of his symptoms.

1. The protons used to make the gradient have energy associated with them that normally drivesATP synthesis but when the gradient is negated by DNP the energy is released as heat.

2. His electron transport chain had increased activity to off-set the protons transported by DNP so more oxygen was required to accept the electrons, the rapid breathing was his body’s way to try to get more oxygen.

3. Both A and B are likely explanations.

4. Uncoupling proteins are highly regulated and only active when needed and not to the excess of causing problems while DNP has no regulation beyond how much you take.

5. A hibernating bear.

Explanation:

1. DNP decreases the formation of phosphate bonds in the mitochondria and also decreases oxygen consumption. DNP acts as a chemical ionophore, which stops the process of converting the final energy, since it is in charge of exporting the proton ions required for the production of ATP. When the proton electrochemical gradient change occurs, it causes the potential energy to dissipate in the form of heat, producing fever in the individual.

2. A large amount of oxygen is needed during rapid respiration, this occurs upon decoupling in oxidative phosphorylation and oxygen consumption.

3. weakness and nausea are caused by the oxidative phosphorylation that is altered, in addition to the lack of ATP production and, finally, the stimulation of glycolysis.

4. the effect as DNP does not take place because the uncoupling proteins are regulated and are activated only when needed.

5. A protein uncoupling occurs when excess heat is needed, for example after dinner.