ABSTRACT
The effect of magnesium chelation in such reactions is to lower the free energy of activation of the rate-determining step. The magnesium may not only actually connect the two ends of the molecule, but it may also make one single, unique electronic system of the phosphate chain and the purine with common nonlocalized electrons which could transport energy. When organic phosphate takes part in a reaction, magnesium is usually its inorganic cofactor. All partners in reactions known to be dependent on adenosine triphosphate are capable of chelating with magnesium. Magnesium is distributed in rat liver mitochondria as follows: outer membranes, 4%; intermembrane compartment, 50%; inner membranes, 5%; and matrix, 41%. Ribosomes require magnesium ions in order to maintain their physical stability; they dissociate into smaller particles when the magnesium concentration becomes low. The mature reticulocyte demonstrates a clear example of a correlation between protein synthesis and cellular magnesium content.
