Proton bioenergetics provides the energy for growth and survival of most organisms in the biosphere ranging from unicellular marine phytoplankton to humans. Chloroplasts harvest light and generate a proton electrochemical gradient (proton motive force) that drives the production of ATP needed for carbon dioxide fixation and plant growth. Mitochondria, bacteria and archaea generate proton motive force to energize growth and other physiologies. Energy transducing membranes are at the heart of proton bioenergetics and are responsible for catalyzing the conversion of energy held in high-energy electrons → electron transport chain → proton motive force → ATP. Whereas the electron transport chain is understood in great detail there are major gaps in understanding mechanisms of proton transfer or circulation during proton bioenergetics. This paper is built on the proposition that phospho- and glyco-glycerolipids form proton transport circuitry at the membrane's surface. By this proposition, an emergent membrane property, termed the hyducton, confines active/unbound protons or hydronium ions to a region of low volume close to the membrane surface. In turn, a von Grotthuß mechanism rapidly moves proton substrate in accordance with nano-electrochemical poles on the membrane surface created by powerful proton pumps such as ATP synthase.

质子生物能学为生物圈中从单细胞海洋浮游植物到人类的大多数生物的生长和生存提供能量。叶绿体收集光并产生质子电化学梯度（质子动力），该梯度驱动产生二氧化碳固定和植物生长所需的ATP。线粒体，细菌和古细菌产生质子原动力以促进生长和其他生理机能。能量转导膜是质子生物能学的核心，负责催化高能电子→电子传输链→质子原动力→ATP中所含能量的转化。尽管对电子传输链的了解非常详细，但在了解质子生物能学过程中质子转移或循环的机理方面存在重大差距。本文基于磷酸和糖甘油脂在膜表面形成质子传输电路这一命题。通过这种提议，被称为hyducton的新兴膜特性将活性/未结合的质子或水合氢离子限制在靠近膜表面的低体积区域。相应地，冯·格罗特斯（vonGrotthuß）机制根据质子泵（例如ATP合酶）在膜表面产生的纳米电化学极迅速移动质子基质。