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A Test of the ‘Redox’ Hypothesis of Active Ion Transport

Abstract

THE concept that the electron transfer in the oxidation–reduction reactions of respiration constitutes the driving force for active ion transport has provided the basis for several hypotheses of ion transport1–7. All these have in common the quantitative limitation that no more than four univalent ions can be actively transported per molecule of oxygen consumed, because oxygen can accept just four electrons per molecule in its complete reduction.

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LEAF, A., RENSHAW, A. A Test of the ‘Redox’ Hypothesis of Active Ion Transport. Nature 178, 156–157 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/178156a0

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