life Review Molecular and Supramolecular Structure of the Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation System: Implications for Pathology Salvatore Nesci 1,* , Fabiana Trombetti 1, Alessandra Pagliarani 1,*, Vittoria Ventrella 1, Cristina Algieri 1 , Gaia Tioli 2 and Giorgio Lenaz 2,* 1 Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;
[email protected] (F.T.);
[email protected] (V.V.);
[email protected] (C.A.) 2 Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] (S.N.);
[email protected] (A.P.);
[email protected] (G.L.) Abstract: Under aerobic conditions, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) converts the energy released by nutrient oxidation into ATP, the currency of living organisms. The whole biochemical machinery is hosted by the inner mitochondrial membrane (mtIM) where the protonmo- tive force built by respiratory complexes, dynamically assembled as super-complexes, allows the F1FO-ATP synthase to make ATP from ADP + Pi. Recently mitochondria emerged not only as cell powerhouses, but also as signaling hubs by way of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. How- ever, when ROS removal systems and/or OXPHOS constituents are defective, the physiological ROS generation can cause ROS imbalance and oxidative stress, which in turn damages cell components. Citation: Nesci, S.; Trombetti, F.; Moreover, the morphology of mitochondria rules cell fate and the formation of the mitochondrial Pagliarani, A.; Ventrella, V.; Algieri, permeability transition pore in the mtIM, which, most likely with the F F -ATP synthase contribu- C.; Tioli, G.; Lenaz, G.