Cyanide interrupts the cytochrome system of electron transport. Why is cyanide a universal poison effective in all organisms with mitochondria?
The mitochondria performs aerobic respiration, meaning within this organelle there is a degradation of glucose in order to form ATP using oxygen. ATP is the “universal” energy form, it’s where energy is stored within the cell. Since you need energy to survive, there’s no surviving without the formation of ATP by the mitochondria. That’s why you breathe, in order to have oxygen available to perform the respiration. Oxygen plays a very important role in the final step of aerobic respiration- the electron transport chain. Oxygen, having the biggest reduction potential in the chain, is the final acceptor of electrons, being reduced forming water. It’s during this electron transport chain that most ATP is formed (34 ATP). Now, if cyanide interrupts the system of electron transport, the mitochondria are unable to form the ATP necessary for our survival, therefore being a very effective poison.
