The electron transfer system in the inner membrane of mitochondria in plants is shown in Figure 11.7 on page 299 . However, added to that you can also observe some of the differences found in the ETS in plants. This one is not sensitive to rotenone, a toxin produced by plants against herbivores. There is an alternative oxidase to move the electrons onto oxygen before the cytochrome steps. Plants can grow in the presence of cyanide.
Many plants store such toxins in seeds.
It is worthy to note that while plants share ancient pathways with other organisms, plants have evolved many complications that make them interesting to study. Their evolution provides a wealth of genes to examine for potential use in genetic engineering. As you observed in the previous diagram of the ETS, it is coupled to the production of ATP by proton pumping into the intermembrane space and the moving back of protons to the matrix through and ATPsynthase complex. The connection of these processes is summarized in Figure 11.8 on page 301 . Respiration is a source of metabolites While we often teach the respiration pathway as a kind of unidirectional flow of materials from carbohydrate to oxygen and ATP, this is really a gross simplification.