Jennifer Moyle

Jennifer Moyle (April 30, 1921 - August 1, 2016) was a British biochemist who helped discover the chemiosmotic mechanism of ATP synthesis. She also conducted research on the properties of purified isocitric enzymes and calcium import in the mitochondria during cellular respiration.

Biography

Jennifer Moyle was born in Norwich, England and attended Norwich High School for Girls. She was the daughter of S.H. Leonard Moyle and Olive M. Dakin. She had a sister named Vivian, who also studied biochemistry.

Moyle began schooling at Norwich High School for Girls in 1926 where she remained until entering Girton College of Cambridge University in 1939. While studying there, she earned a "Title of Bachelor of Arts Degree", the equivalent of modern-day Bachelor of Arts, in 1942. She specialized in Biochemistry, and also attended many lectures on philosophy.

In 1955, Moyle began her PhD work at the University of Edinburgh, and was awarded a PhD in zoology in 1958.

Moyle conducted a lot of research regarding cellular respiration, and properties of purified isocitric enzymes.

Purified isocitric enzymes

Jennifer Moyle published an article on the properties of purified isocitric enzymes in August 1956 with Malcolm Dixon. The article describes the chemical and physical properties of isocitric enzymes, various reactions they are involved in, causes for their inactivation, and a hypothesis for the mechanism of reaction. The paper outlines the proper method of the purification of that enzyme.thumb Chemiosmosis during ATP synthesis is the movement of ions across the mitochondrial membrane, down their electrochemical gradient.

Chemiosmotic theory One of Moyle's major contributions to the field of biochemistry is her contribution to the development of the chemiosmotic theory. Moyle conducted research with Peter Mitchell, at Glynn House, on chemiosmotic reactions and reaction mechanisms, which led to the development of the theory in 1967. The chemiosmotic theory explained the mechanism for oxidative phosphorylation, stating that ATP synthesis requires chemiosmosis to function. Their goal was to improve the precision of that measurement in order to allow others to confirm their findings in the proposed chemiosmotic hypothesis. They conducted this experiment because the arrangement of the electron transport chain was only a hypothesis at the time, and it had been inferred from a quotient of protons translocated to oxygen in the chain (→H+/O).

Malcolm Dixon Jennifer Moyle and Malcolm Dixon worked together for roughly two years. During this time together, they researched the properties of purified isocitric enzymes and published their findings.