Question

Which of the following is a difference between primary and secondary active transport?

Answer 1

Answer;

In primary active transport, the transport protein gets phosphorylated; in secondary active transport, the transport protein is not phosphorylated.

Explanation;

• Active transport is a type of transport which requires energy to transport molecules or ions across membranes.

• In secondary active transport, the transport protein is not phosphorylated, while in primary active transport, energy comes directly from the hydrolysis of ATP and the subsequent phosphorylation of the primary active transporter.
• In secondary active transport, the solute (usually Na+) concentration gradient produced by primary active transport provides the (kinetic) energy to move other solutes, such as ions and glucose, against their concentration gradients.
• For example, glucose can be transported against its concentration gradient through a Na+-glucose symporter as Na+ moves down its concentration gradient (a gradient produced by the Na+-K+ pump).