Phosphorylation coupled with the oxidation of alpha-ketoglutarate by heart-muscle sarcosomes. 3. Experiments with ferricytochrome c as hydrogen acceptor

A mitochondrial chemiluminescence evoked by a novel mixed copper(II)-cyanide complex/acetaldehyde cyanohydrin chelate: a kinetic analysis suggesting a role for membrane-bound vicinal sulfhydryls

Cyanide added to mitochondria in the presence of copper and acetaldehyde evokes a chemiluminescence which follows series pseudo-first-order kinetics: (formula; see text) An evaluation of the effects of protein (mitochondria), copper, cyanide, acetaldehyde, and oxygen on the kinetic parameters shows that k1 is influenced by protein, cyanide (at low concentrations), and oxygen while k2 is influenced by cyanide, acetaldehyde (at low, less than 11.9 mM, and high, greater than 35.6 mM, concentrations), and oxygen. The integral light increases linearly with the square root of total copper(II) and with the square of the total acetaldehyde. The sustained emissions appear to reflect an initial oxidative event mediated by a novel mixed copper(II)-cyanide complex/acetaldehyde cyanohydrin chelate. Cu(I) formed by the reduction of Cu(II), probably by mitochondrial vicinal sulfhydryls, reacts with dioxygen to form an O2-copper complex which reacts with acetaldehyde to form the acetyl-1-hydroxyhydroperoxyl radical. This radical disproportionates by the Russell mechanism to generate electronically excited singlet and triplet carbonyl functions and singlet oxygen species whose emissive relaxations to the ground state display as the observed chemiluminescence. The kinetic evidence indicates that there are two Cu(I)-oxygen cyanide complexes transferring O2- to acetaldehyde. This evidence addresses the mechanisms of autoxidation of low-molecular-weight Cu(I) complexes with dioxygen. A suggested role for the involvement of vicinal sulfhydryl groups in the reactions is shown, kinetically, by the influence of copper and acetaldehyde on the integral light.

Aspects of signal transduction in stimulus exocytosis-coupling in Paramecium

This paper deals with the detailed mechanisms of signal transduction that lead to exocytosis during regulative secretion induced by specific secretagogues in a eukaryotic cell, Paramecium tetraurelia. There are at least three cellular compartments involved in the process: I) the plasma membrane, which contains secretagogue receptors and other transmembrane proteins, II) the cytoplasms, particularly in the region between the cell and secretory vesicle membranes, where molecules may influence interactions of the membranes, and III) the secretory vesicle itself. The ciliated protozoan Paramecium tetraurelia is very well suited for the study of signal transduction events associated with exocytosis because this eukaryotic cell contains thousands of docked secretory vesicles (trichocysts) below the cell membrane which can be induced to release synchronously when triggered with secretagogue. This ensures a high signal-to-noise ratio for events associated with this process. Upon release the trichocyst membrane fuses with the cell membrane and the trichocyst content undergoes a Ca2+-dependent irreversible expansion. Secretory mutants are available which are blocked at different points in the signal transduction pathway. Aspects of the three components mentioned above that will be discussed here include a) the properties of the vesicle content, its pH, and its membrane; b) the role of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of a cytosolic 63-kilodalton (kDa)Mr protein in membrane fusion; and c) how influx of extracellular Ca2+ required for exocytosis may take place via exocytic Ca2+ channels which may be associated with specific membrane microdomains (fusion rosettes).

Reversible uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation at low oxygen tension

The stoichiometry of oxidative phosphorylation at low oxygen tension (less than 3 torr; O2 less than 5 microM) has been measured in rat liver mitochondria. In a steady-state model in which respiration rate was experimentally controlled by either oxygen or substrate (succinate) limitation, flux-dependent variation in the phosphorylation efficiency (P/O ratio) of stimulated mitochondrial respiration was evaluated. P/O ratio remained constant over a wide range of respiration rates in mitochondria limited only by substrate availability. In contrast, oxygen-limited mitochondria demonstrated a continuous decline in P/O ratio as respiration was increasingly restricted. Significant differences in the two test conditions were demonstrated throughout the range of analysis. The effect of oxygen limitation on phosphorylation efficiency was shown to be completely reversed by restoring zero-order kinetics associated with high oxygen tension. These findings are discussed in regard to a proposed uncoupling of mitochondrial coupling site II at low oxygen tension arising as a consequence of energy-dissipating electron flux through the ubiquinone-cytochrome b-c1 region of the respiratory chain (complex III).

Properties of the hydrogenase of Megasphaera elsdenii

The catalytic activities of Megasphaera elsdenii hydrogenase are stimulated by salts. The stimulation is due to the anion: the more chaotropic the anion, the greater the effect. Dithionite-reduced and dye-oxidised preparations of hydrogenase are inactivated by reaction with oxygen. The inactivation of the reduced enzyme by excess oxygen follows pseudo-first-order kinetics; the reaction order for the oxidised enzyme has not been established. The rate of oxygen-inactivation is decreased by bovine serum albumin. The hydrogen production activity decreases in the presence of dimethylsulphoxide and ethylene glycol. The hydrogen oxidation activity is stimulated by dimethylsulphoxide, and the activity remains linear with time at concentrations up to 50% (v/v). Above 70% dimethylsulphoxide the steady-state activity of hydrogenase is abolished for both types of activity. The enzyme is more stable in a hydrogen atmosphere than in an argon atmosphere, and the oxidized enzyme is more stable than the reduced enzyme. The enzyme is isolated in the presence of dithionite and it is therefore reduced. When the enzyme is oxidized by treatment with 2,6-dichloroindophenol or with (bi)sulphite, its activity increases by up to 65%; this activation is not reversed when the enzyme is re-reduced. The increase in activity is associated with a change of the redox potential of the incubation medium to a less negative value; half of the maximum activation occurs at -0.41 V. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the dithionite-reduced hydrogenase resembles that of a reduced ferredoxin-type of spectrum with two 4Fe-4S clusters. The spectrum of the oxidized enzyme is similar to that of Chromatium high-potential iron-sulphur protein. No redox potentials can be ascribed to these spectra since the redox system changes upon freezing to liquid helium temperatures.

Ferrocyanide as electron donor to cytochrome aa3. Cytochrome c requirement for oxygen uptake

1. In the absence of cytochrome c, ferrocyanide or ferrous sulphate reduces cytochrome c oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1), but no continuous oxygen uptake ensues, as it does with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or reduced phenazine methosulphate as reductants, unless a substoichiometric amount of cytochrome c or an excess of clupein is present. Cytochrome c cannot be replaced by porphyrin cytochrome c. 2. Cytochrome c, porphyrin cytochrome c and clupein all stimulate the reduction of cytochrome aa3 by ferrocyanide. 3. A model is proposed to explain these findings in which a high-affinity site for cytochrome c on the oxidase regulates the access of hydrophilic electron donors to a low-affinity site, and reduction via the high-affinity site is required for continuous oxygen uptake. 4. Furthermore, it is shown that upon reaction of oxidase with ferrocyanide, cyano-oxidase is formed.

Mitochondria from human term placenta. III. The role of respiration and energy generation in progesterone biosynthesis

The interrelationships among the processes of progesterone biosynthesis, respiration and energy production in human term placental mitochondria were examined. All substrates (citrate, isocitrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, malate, glutamate, glycerol 3-phosphate, ascorbate + N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine) previously found to stimulate oxygen uptake and ATP synthesis in placental mitochondria supported progesterone synthesis from endogenous and exogenous cholesterol. Citrate support of progesterone synthesis was stimulated by NADP+ but not NAD+. It was inhibited by fluorocitrate and trans-aconitate but not by arsenite, rotenone, antimycin, cyanide or 2,4-dinitrophenol. Ascorbate-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine support of progesterone synthesis was stimulated by NAD+ and NADP+ and was inhibited by ADP, rotenone, antimycin, cyanide and 2,4-dinitrophenol. Cyanide inhibition was relieved by an exogenous ATP regenerating system and ADP inhibition was reversed by oligomycin. Progesterone synthesis supported by alpha-ketoglutarate + malonate was stimulated by NAD+ and NADP+, and was completely inhibited by arsenite. 2,4-Dinitrophenol was strongly inhibitory both in the absence and presence of rotenon or antimycin. Stimulation by ATP was enhanced by rotenon, antimycin and oligomycin and inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol. Thus, metabolic control of progesterone synthesis by the energy status of the mitochondrial system was demonstrated when reducing equivalents were supplied via NADH or the respiratory electron transport chain.

Kinetic properties of a magnesium ion- and calcium ion-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase from the outer-membrane fraction of rat spleen mitochondria

1. Isolated outer membranes from rat spleen mitochondria can be stored in liquid N(2) for several weeks without significant loss of ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) activity. 2. The ATPase reaction has a broad pH optimum centering on neutral pH, with little significant activity above pH9.0 or below pH5.5. 3. A sigmoidal response of the ATPase activity to temperature is observed between 0 and 55 degrees C, with complete inactivation at 60 degrees C. The Arrhenius plot shows that the activation energy above the transition temperature (22 degrees C) (E(a)=144kJ/mol) is one-third of that calculated for below the transition temperature (E'(a)=408kJ/mol). 4. The outer-membrane ATPase (K(m) for MgATP=50mum) is inactive unless Mg(2+) is added, whereas the inner-membrane ATPase (K(m) for ATP=11mum) is active without added Mg(2+) unless the mitochondria have been depleted of all endogenous Mg(2+) (by using ionophore A23187). 5. The substrate for the outer-membrane ATPase is a bivalent metal ion-nucleoside triphosphate complex in which Mg(2+) (K(m)=50mum) can be replaced effectively by Ca(2+) (K(m)=6.7mum) or Mn(2+), and ATP by ITP. Cu(2+), Co(2+), Sr(2+), Ba(2+), Ni(2+), Cd(2+) and Zn(2+) support very little ATP hydrolysis. 6. Univalent metal ions (Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+) and NH(4) (+), but not Li(+)) stimulate the MgATPase activity (<10%) at low concentrations (50mm), but, except for K(+), are slightly inhibitory (20-30%) at higher concentrations (500mm). 7. The Mg(2+)-stimulated ATPase activity is significantly inhibited by Cu(2+) (K(i)=90mum), Ni(2+) (K(i)=510mum), Zn(2+) (K(i)=680mum) and Co(2+) (K(i)=1020mum), but not by Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Ba(2+) or Sr(2+). 8. The outer-membrane ATPase is insensitive to the inhibitors oligomycin, NN'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, NaN(3), ouabain and thiol-specific reagents. A significant inhibition is observed at high concentrations of AgNO(3) (0.5mm) and NaF (10mm). 9. The activity towards MgATP is competitively inhibited by the product MgADP (K(i)=0.7mm) but not by the second product P(i) or by 5'-AMP.

An analysis of the influence of membrane potential and metabolic poisoning with azide on the sodium pump in skeletal muscle

1. Activation of the Na pump in muscle by the external K concentration, [K]O, is independent of the membrane potential (Em) as shown by experiments in which Em was either stabilized during variation of [K]O or varied by application of azide at constant or zero [K]O. 2. Application of azide to Na-enriched muscles causes a transient increase in 22Na efflux which occurs either in the presence or in the absence of external K. 3. The increased 22Na efflux induced by azide is abolished by addition of ouabain and is greatly reduced by removal of almost all of the external Na concentration, [Na]o. 4. Azide-treated muscles show a rather normal K sensitivity of 22Na efflux and [K]O induces a net Na extrusion from Na-enriched muscles in the presence of azide. 5. Azide reduces ouabain-sensitive K influx to low values thus interfering with K pump but not with the ability of K to activate the Na pump. 6. The experiments provide evidence that azide promotes a ouabainsensitive Na-Na exchange in Na-enriched muscles and that it partially uncouples the Na-K exchange normally observed.

Chemotaxis away from uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation in Bacillus subtilis

In a capillary assay, uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation and inhibitors of electron transport are repellents for Bacillus subtilis. They also cause transient tumbling in naturally smooth swimming strains. Tumbling strains can be made to swim smoothly by addition of attractant and then immediately returned to tumbling by subsequent addition of repellent. Arsenate does not cause transient tumbling, suggesting that decrease in concentration of adenosine triphosphate does not cause tumbling and that adenosine triphosphate concentration does not govern tumbling frequency. Instead, the evidence suggests that diminution of the energized state of the membrane, or membrane potential, causes tumbling although the level of the energized state itself does not govern tumbling frequency.

Ifluence of dietary fatty acids on membrane properties and enzyme activities of liver mitochondria of normal and hypophysectomized rats

Studies are reported on the effects of diets containing fatty supplements with (A) a high concentration of arachidonate (46% concentrate of ethyl arachidonate), (B) a high concentration of linoleate (corn oil), and (C) an essential fatty acid deficient, fully saturated fat (hydrogenated coconut oil) upon lipid composition, membrane permeability, and enzyme activities of liver mitochondria of normal and hypophysectomized rats. The fatty supplements produced differences in the fatty acid composition of the liver mitochondria; hypophysectomy, in addition, influenced the neutral and phospholipid composition. Permeability, indicated by swelling properties, correlated generally with the degree of unsaturation and essential fatty acid content of the lipid of the mitochondria of the normal animals. The fatty supplements also influenced the enzyme acitivites of the mitochondria of the normal animals. The mitochondria of the hypophysectomized animals were less responsive to the differences in the dietary fat in both their swelling properties and enzyme activities. Although the relationship was complex, it appeared that the hypophysis was involved in the functions of essential fatty acids in liver mitochondria.

The Metabolism of Oat Leaves during Senescence: I. Respiration, Carbohydrate Metabolism, and the Action of Cytokinins

When the detached first leaves of green or etiolated oat (Avena sativa cv. Victory) seedlings senesce in the dark, their oxygen consumption shows a large increase, beginning after 24 hours and reaching a peak of up to 2.5 times the initial rate by the 3rd day. This effect takes place while the chlorophyll of green leaves, or the carotenoid of etiolated leaves, is steadily decreasing. Kinetin, at a concentration which inhibits the decrease in pigment, completely prevents the respiratory rise; instead, the oxygen consumption drifts downwards. Lower kinetin concentrations have a proportional effect, 50% reduction of respiration being given by about 0.1 mg/l. About one-fifth of the respiratory rise may be attributed to the free amino acids which are liberated during senescence; several amino acids are shown to cause increases of almost 50% in the oxygen consumption when supplied at the concentrations of total amino acid present during senescence. A smaller part of the rise may also be due to soluble sugars liberated during senescence, largely coming from the hydrolysis of a presumptive fructosan. The remainder, and the largest part, of the increase is ascribed to a natural uncoupling of respiration from phosphorylation. This is deduced from the fact that dinitrophenol causes a similar large rise in the oxygen consumption of the fresh leaves or of leaf segments kept green with kinetin, but causes only a very small rise when the oxygen consumption is near its peak in senescent controls. The respiration of these leaves is resistant to cyanide, and 10 mm KCN even increases it by some 30%; in contrast, etiolated leaves of the same age, which undergo a similar rise in oxygen consumption over the same time period, show normal sensitivity to cyanide. The respiratory quotient during senescence goes down as low as 0.7, both with and without kinetin, though it is somewhat increased by supplying sugars or amino acids; glucose or alanine at 0.3 m bring it up to 1.0 and 0.87, respectively.N(6)-Benzylaminopurine and Delta-2-isopentenylaminopurine act similarly to kinetin in repressing the respiratory rise, the former being five times as active as kinetin, while the latter has only 1% of the activity of kinetin. Zeatin also powerfully prevents senescence. Because the repression of the respiratory rise is shown by each cytokinin at the concentration at which it inhibits senescence, the action is ascribed in both cases to the maintenance of a tight coupling between respiration and phosphorylation. It is pointed out that such an effect would explain many features of cytokinin action.A change in the methodology of the senescence experiments is described and compared with the method previously used, and the influence of temperature and age of the plants on the course of leaf senescence are presented in detail.

Mechanisms of pathogenesis in Listeria monocytogenes infection. VI. Oxidative phosphorylation in mouse liver mitochondria during experimental listeriosis

Previous reports have demonstrated early changes in hepatic carbohydrate and energy metabolism in mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes. This study was undertaken to further elucidate mechanisms of damage involved in these changes. Female CD-1 mice were injected intraperitoneally with 10(6)L. monocytogenes A4413. At 0, 10, and 20 hr after infection, groups of mice were sacrificed and the livers were removed and pooled. Oxidative phosphorylation was assayed immediately upon isolation of mitochondria from pooled liver homogenates. Appropriate metabolic inhibitors were employed to examine each of the three phosphorylation sites in mitochondrial electron transport. When pyruvate-malate (equimolar concentrations) and alpha-ketoglutarate were used as substrates, decreases in both phosphorylation and oxidation were noted as early as 10 hr after infection. With beta-hydroxybutyrate and citrate as substrates, alterations were not noted until 20 hr after infection, whereas no changes were seen when glutamate, succinate, or ascorbate were employed. These results suggest possible derangement of the first site in oxidative phosphorylation as well as lowered activity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked dehydrogenases during experimental listeriosis in mice.

The reactivity of haemoproteins and cytochromes

Images