Hi there! I have a bio project due tomorrow that I need help with. I'm supposed to choose a thermogenic decoupler and explain how it works and whether it's safe. I chose DNP. The only thing is, I found two different answers on how it works! Which one is correct, or are they both right? If so, how do they work together? Here are descriptions I wrote of what I found.
Option 1: OXPHOS decoupling
DNP dissipates the proton gradient, which immediately provides the energy that is needed to start oxidative phosphorylation. By dissolving the proton gradient, OXPHOS doesn't get the energy it needs to work, so it doesn't occur. When OXPHOS isn't occurring, you aren't getting any ATP from your food. Thus, your metabolism speeds up in order to get as much energy from your food as possible, burning up more food supplies instead of storing them as fats.
Option 2: Protonophore
DNP is a protonophore, which means that it is a molecule that allows ions to cross the lipid bilayer of a cell membrane. In this case, it allows the positively-charged H⁺ to slide across the membrane into the matrix of the cell without going through the ATP Synthase. This greatly decreases the production of ATP per food molecule, and makes the metabolism increase in order to get as much energy out of each food molecule as possible.
Please let me know which is correct or if they both are and how they work together! Thanks so much!
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