A section of membrane with an aquaporin (AQP) has a water transport rate of abou

Question

A section of membrane with an aquaporin (AQP) has a water transport rate of about 2 billion water molecules per second (2 x 10^9 molecules- s^-1). Deletion of the AQP lowers the rate to about 40 million water molecules per second (4 x 10^7 molecules- s-1). By what factor does the aquaporin increase the rate of water transport in this example? Note that this is a hypothetical situation, and does not reference any specific data or study, However, 3 x 10^9 molecules/s is a common estimate given for flow through an aquaporin (AQP). Water flow through an AQP is instead often stated in terms of a water permeability coefficient with units of cm/s. The actual value varies with osmotic pressure and type of AQP, among other factors. Some studies have shown around a 10-fold decrease in water permeability after AQP deletion.

Explanation / Answer

ANSWER

The question is more of mathemetical nature than chemistry.

the factor by which AQP increases the water transport rate = rate with AQP / rate without AQP

the factor by which AQP increases the water transport rate = 2 X 109 / 4 X 107 = 50

So the AQP increases the rate by afactor of 50.

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