Effect of ionophores on carrier-mediated electron translocation in ferricyanide-containing liposomes

Ferricyanide-containing liposomes were used as a system to compare the electron- and proton-translocating properties of six redox reagents commonly used as electron donors for biochemical systems. The effects of different ionophore combinations on the ferricyanide-reduction rate were generally consistent with the expected proton- and electron-translocating properties of the mediators. The transmembrane pH gradient produced by hydrogen carriers was demonstrated. Nigericin or valinomycin plus carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone are capable of collapsing this gradient and of stimulating ferricyanide reduction mediated by this type of carrier. No pH gradient is produced with the electron carrier 1,1'-dibutylferrocene. In the presence of tetraphenylboron anion, which is needed for this carrier to act as an efficient mediator, addition of valinomycin alone is sufficient to obtain full stimulation of ferricyanide reduction. NNN'N'-Tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine does not behave as a simple electron carrier. During NNN'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine-mediated ferricyanide reduction protons are translocated across the membrane and accumulated in the vesicles. This is not due to the presence of demethylated impurities in the NNN'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine sample, but may be the result of an accumulation of oxidation products other than the Wurster's Blue radical. These results suggest a reconsideration of studies on protonmotive forces across membranes where NNN'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine is used as a mediator.

[Mitochondrial energy processes of the visual system in the rabbit brain normally and under conditions of light deprivation]

A rate of endogenous respiration in mitochondria of rabbit brain visual system (visual cortex, forebrain) was higher under conditions of light deprivation (from birth up to 2.5 month) as compared with the mitochondria of control animals. The mitochondria of experimental rabbits were characterized by distinct alteration in oxidative phosphorylation of glutamic acid, by an increased rate of electron transport at the step between cytochrome c-cytochrome oxidase-succinate dehydrogenase of the respiratory chain as well as by the peculiar effect of rothenone and DNP on the chain. All the patterns studied approached the control value within the period of restoration of light impulsation. Nonlinear type of the regenerating processes was observed. Role of specific impulsation and compensatory reactions in the age-dependent development of energy processes in brain mitochondria is discussed.

The stimulation of photophosphorylation and ATPase by artificial redox mediators in chromatophores of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata at different redox potentials

(1) Inhibition of cyclic phosphorylation in chromatophores of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata by antimycin A can be fully reversed by artificial redox mediators, provided the ambient redox potential is maintained around 200 mV. The redox mediator need not be a hydrogen carrier in its reduced form, N-methyl-phenazonium methosulfate and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine being equally effective. However, the mediator needs to be lipophilic. Endogenous cyclic phosphorylation is fastest around 130 mV. A shift to 200 mV can also be observed if high concentrations of artificial redox mediator are present in the absence of antimycin. (2) ATPase activity of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, in the light as well as in the dark, activated or not activated by inorganic phosphate, can also be stimulated by N-methylphenazonium methosulfate. This stimulation is highest at redox potentials between 60 to 80 mV and is sensitive to antimycin A. In this case N,N,N',N-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine is much less effective.

Respiratory chain components of Leishmania tropica promastigotes

Crude preparations of kinetoplast vesicles were used to investigate the respiratory chain components in Leishmania tropica promastigotes. In difference spectra from enzymically and chemically reduced preparations, cytochrome b was the predominant component. By utilizing special assays designed to minimize the influence of cytochrome b on difference spectra, cytochromes a, a3 and c555 were demonstrated. Difference spectra from chemically reduced preparations indicated that pyridine nucleotides (NADH) and flavoproteins were also part of the respiratory chain. The presence of these components as well as their response to respiratory inhibitors and ascorbate provide evidence for the presence of a typical trypanosomatid respiratory chain in L. tropica promastigotes.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain of Tetrahymena pyriformis. The thermodynamic and spectral properties

The mitochondria isolated from the ciliate protozoon Tetrahymena pyriformis carry an oxidative phosphorylation with P/O ratio of 2 for succinate oxidation and P/O ratio of 3 for the oxidation of the NAD-linked substrates. The respiration is more than 90% inhibited with 1 mM cyanide while antimycin A and rotenone inhibit at concentrations of 1000-fold higher than those effective in mammalian mitochondria. Using a combination of spectral studies and potentiometric titrations, the components of the respiratory chain were identified and characterized with respect to the values of their half-reduction potentials. In the cytochrome bc1 region of the chain a cytochrome c was present with an Em7.2 of 0.225 V and two components with absorption maxima at 560 nm and the half-reduction potential values of -0.065 and -0.15 V at pH 7.2. The cytochrome with the more positive half-reduction potential was identified as the analogue of the cytochrome(s) b present in mitochondria of higher organisms, while the cytochrome with the more negative half-reduction potential was tentatively identified as cytochrome o. In addition ubiquinone was present at a concentration of approx. 4 nmol per mg mitochondrial protein. In the spectral region where cytochromes a absorb at least three cytochromes were found. A cytochrome with an absorption maximum at 593 nm and a midpoint potential of -0.085 V at pH 7.2 was identified as cytochrome a1. The absorption change at 615-640 nm, attributed usually to cytochrome a2, was resolved into two components with Em7,2 values of 0,245 and 0.345 V. It is concluded that the terminal oxidase in Tetrahymena pyriformis mitochondria is cytochrome a2 which in its two component structure resembles cytochrome aa3.

The inhibitory effect of the artificial electron donor system, phenazine methosulfate-ascorbate, on bacterial transport mechanisms

The artificial electron donor system, phenazine methosulfate (PMS)-ascorbate, inhibited active transort of solutes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa irrespective of whether the active transport systems were shock sensitive or shock resistant. N,N,N',N'-tetramethylphenylenediamine could be substituted for PMS but a higher concentration was required. PMS-ascorbate also inhibited active transport in several other bacterial species with the exception of Escherichia coli and of a nonpigmented strain of Serratia marcescens. PMS-ascorbate previously has been shown to energize active transport in isolated membrane vesicles, even those prepared from the same bacterial species in whose intact cells active transport was inhibited. The apparent Km of glucose active transport in untreated cells of P. aeruginosa was 40 micron while the Km of glucose transport in cells incubated with PMS-ascorbate was 25 mM, and PMS-ascorbate had no effect on efflux of accumulated glucose. These results strongly suggested that facilitated diffusion resulted upon exposure of the cells to PMS- ascorbate. Thus, PMS-ascorbate appeared to have an uncoupler-like effect on cells of P. aeruginosa. The experimental data also pointed out that there are fundamental differences between the response of intact cells and membrane vesicles to exogenous electron donors.

Phosphorylation in isolated chloroplasts coupled to dichlorophenyldimethylurea-insensitive silicomolybdate reduction

1. The electron transport in isolated chloroplasts with silicomolybdate as electron acceptor has been reinvestigated. The silicomolybdate reduction has been directly measured as deltaA750 or indirectly as O2 evolution (in the presence or absence of ferricyanide). 2. Silicomolybdate-dependent O2 evolution is inhibited to a similar extent by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl) 1, 1-dimethylurea (DCMU) or dibromothymoquinone (DBMIB), indicating the existence of two different sites of silicomolybdate reduction: one before the DCMU block (i.e. at Photosystem II) and one after the DBMIB block (i.e. at Photosystem I). 3. Silicomolybdate-dependent O2 evolution is coupled to ATP synthesis with an ATP/2e- ratio of 1.0 to 1.1. The presence of ferricyanide inhibits this ATP synthesis (ATP/2e- ratio then is about 0.3). 4. Silicomolybdate-dependent O2 evolution is also coupled to ATP-synthesis in the presence of DCMU with an ATP/2e- ratio of 0.6-0.8 characteristic of Site II; in this case the electron transport itself is not affected by uncouplers or energy-transfer inhibitors. 5. The data are interpreted as a further demonstration that the water-splitting reaction is responsible for the conservation of energy at Photosystem II.

Light-induced absorption changes in photosystem I at low temperatures

Light-induced absorption changes associated with the primary photochemical reaction and dark relaxation in Photosystem I were measured at various low temperatures. A possible temperature-dependent long-range electron tunneling process was suggested to account for the unique temperature dependence of the dark decay process. The kinetics of the light-induced absorption changes are in good agreement with the light-induced EPR changes reported earlier (Ke, B., Sugahara, K., Shaw, E.R., Hansen, R. E., Hamilton, W. D. and Beinert, H. (1974) Biochim, Biophys. Acta 368, 401--408) for the same Photosystem I subchloroplast fragment at comparable temperatures. All absorption changes between 400 and 725 nm at 86degreesK have identical kinetics. The light-minus-dark difference spectrum is very similar to that of P-700 at room temperature, with an additional prominent positive change at 690 nm. Possible contributions by P-430 to the blue and red spectral changes were discussed. It was demonstrated that the intensity of the measuring beam has a drastic effect on the light-induced absorption changes of Photosystem I at low temperatures. Various pretreatments of the Photosystem I fragments such as those that photochemically (or chemically) oxidize the primary donor or photoreduce the primary acceptor abolish the subsequent photochemical reaction. Continuous illumination of the Photosystem I fragments before and during freezing has the same effect. In the temperature range of --20 to --60degreesC, an unusual counter absorption change as well as a counter EPR change were observed.

Glucose transport in isolated prosthecae of Asticcacaulis biprosthecum

Active transport of glucose in prosthecae isolated from cells of Asticcacaulis biprosthecum was stimulated by the non-physiological electron donor N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride. Glucose uptake was mediated by two transport systems; the apparent Km of the high-affinity system was 1.8 muM and that of the low-affinity system was 34 muM. Free glucose accumulated within prosthecae at a concentration 60 to 200 times above that present externally, depending on the Km of the system being observed. The glucose transport system in prosthecae was stereospecific for D-glucose, and neither methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside nor 2-deoxyglucose was transported. Uptake of glucose was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), and the inhibition by PCMB but not by NEM was reversed by dithiothreitol. Glucose uptake was also inhibited by the uncoupling agents 5-chloro-3-t-butyl-2'-nitrosalicylanilide (S-13), 5-chloro-3-(p-chlorophenyl)-4'-chlorosalicylanilide (S-6), and carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and by the respiratory inhibitor KCN. Efflux of glucose from preloaded prosthecae was induced by PCMB and KCN, but not by S-13 or CCCP. Glucose uptake was not affected by arsenate or an inhibitor of membrane-bound adenosine triphosphatases, N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The lack of inhibition by these two compounds, combined with the extremely low levels of adenosine 5'-triphosphate present in prosthecae, indicates that adenosine 5'-triphosphate is not involved in the transport of glucose by prosthecae.

Alanine and glutamine synthesis and release from skeletal muscle. I. Glycolysis and amino acid release

The synthesis and release of alanine and glutamine were investigated with an intact rat epitrochlaris muscle preparation. This preparation will maintain on incubation for up to 6 hours, tissue levels of phosphocreatine, ATP, ADP, lactate, and pyruvate closely approximating those values observed in gastrocnemius muscles freeze-clamped in vivo. The epitrochlaris preparation releases amino acids in the same relative proportions and amounts as a perfused rat hindquarter preparation and human skeletal muscle. Since amino acids were released during incubation without observable changes in tissue amino acids levels, rates of alanine and glutamine release closely approximate net amino acid synthesis. Large increases in either glucose uptake or glycolysis in muscle were not accompanied by changes in either alanine or glutamine synthesis. Insulin increased muscle glucose uptake 4-fold, but was without effect on alanine and glutamine release. Inhibition of glycolysis by iodacetate did not decrease the rate of alanine synthesis. The rates of alanine and glutamine synthesis and release from muscle decreased significantly during prolonged incubation despite a constant rate of glucose uptake and pyruvate production. Alanine synthesis and release were decreased by aminooxyacetic acid, an inhibitor of alanine aminotransferase. This inhibition was accompanied by a compensatory increase in the release of other amino acids, such as aspartate, an amino acid which was not otherwise released in appreciable quantities by muscle. The release of alanine, pyruvate, glutamate, and glutamine were observed to be interrelated events, reflecting a probable near-equilibrium state of alanine aminotransferase in skeletal muscle. It is concluded that glucose metabolism and amino acid release are functionally independent processes in skeletal muscle. Alanine release reflects the de novo synthesis of the amino acid and does not arise from the selective proteolysis of an alanine-rich storage protein. It appears that the rate of alanine and glutamine synthesis in skeletal muscle is dependent upon the transformation and metabolism of amino acid precursors.

Effect of valine on the control of fatty acid synthesis in white adipose tissue of the rat

In adipocytes from fed rats, the rate of fatty acid synthesis in the presence of glucose and insulin was inhibited 40% by valine (5 mm). tthis inhibition was largely abolished by the addition to the incubation medium of the transaminase inhibitor aminooxy acetate, and of pyruvate and agents which raise the intracellular pyruvate levels such as N,N,N1,N1-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine. Pyruvate output into the incubation medium from fat pads obtained from fed rats and incubated with glucose and insulin was decreased significantly by the addition of valine. When adipocytes were incubated under similar conditions, the final concentration of pyruvate in the incubation medium was 42 +/- 1.6 muM under control conditions and approximately one third of this value in the presence of 2.5 mM valine. Valine had no significant effect on pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoate) (EC 1.2.4.1) activity when assayed in homogenates prepared from adipose tissue previously incubated for 60 min with the amino acid. Although the ketoacid analogue of valine alpha-ketoisovaleric acid, is a competitive inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoate) (K1 = 1.4 mM), this cannot solely account for the valine-induced reduced rate of lipogenesis. Rather, the mechanism involves a reduction in pyruvate concentration and thereby a diminished flow through pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoate). Details of the possible mechanism are discussed.

Studies of the mitochondria from Eimeria tenella and inhibition of the electron transport by quinolone coccidiostats

Intact but fragile mitochondria were isolated from unsporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella. The mitochondria respired in response to succinate, malate plus pyruvate, and L-ascorbate at rates of 1.00, 0.40, and 0.25 mu1 O2/min/mg protein, respectively. Spectrophotometric analyses of the cytochromes in mitochondria and whole oocysts revealed b-type and o-type cytochromes, at roughly similar levels, but no cytochrome c could be detected. The mitochondrial respiration was inhibited by cyanide, azide, carbon monoxide, antimycin A, and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, but was relatively resistant to rotenone and amytal. The quinolone coccidiostats buquinolate, amquinate, methyl benzoquate, and decoquinate were identified as very powerful inhibitiors of succinate and malate plus pyruvate supported respiration in E. tenella mitochondria. None of these four drugs exhibited any inhibitory effect on chicken liver mitochondria. Only 3 pmol of the quinolones per mg mitochondrial protein was needed to achieve 50% inhibition. The inhibition could not be reversed by coenzymes Q6 or Q10. Since the quinolones did not affect L-ascorbate-supported respiration or the activities of submitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and NADH dehydrogenase, the site of action of the quinolone coccidiostats was tentatively identified as probably near cytochrome b in E. tenella mitochondria. Mitochondria isolated from an E. tenella amquinate-resistant mutant were much less susceptible to quinolone coccidiostats; 50% inhibition was attained by 300 pmol of the drugs/mg mitochondrial protein. The results suggest that the mechanisms of action of quinolone coccidiostats is by inhibiting the cytochrome-mediated electron transport in the mitochondria of coccidia. 2-Hydroxynaphthoquinone coccidiostats were identified as inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration of both E. tenella and chicken liver. They inhibited submitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and NADH dehydrogenase of E. tenella, and remained equally active against the mitochondrial function of E. tenella amquinolate-resistant mutant.

Alkali-induced reduction of the beta-cytochromes in purified complex III from beef heart mitochondria

Approx. 40-50% of the cytochrome b in purified Complex III is reduced by ascorbate plus N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or phenazine methosulfate at neutral pH. The remaining cytochrome b, including cytochrome b-565, is reduced by increasing the pH. The apparent pK for this reduction is between pH 10 and 11, and is more than two pH units higher than a similar alkali-induced transition in Mg-ATP particles. Alkali-induced reduction of cytochrome b occurs concomitantly with the exposure of hydrophobic tyrosine and tryptophan residues to a more hydrophilic environment. The relationship of these findings to the presence of a substrate accessibility barrier in Complex III is discussed.

Detection of two further beta-type cytochromes in Rhodopseudomonas spheroides

The photosynthetically-incompetent mutant V-2 of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides which is incapable of synthesising bacteriochlorophyll was grown aerobically under conditions of both high and low aeration. Potentiometric titration a at 560 nm minus 570 nm revealed the presence of several different components tentatively identified as b-type cytochromes. Two such components of oxidation-reduction midpoint potentials of +390 mV +/- 10 mV and +255 mV +/- 7mV have not previously been detected in membranes of Rps. spheroides. These components have also been resolved by difference spectra at controlled oxidation-reduction potentials and fourth derivative spectra. Neither component appeared to react with CO. With increasing aeration of the culture medium the relative concentration of these two b-type cytochromes diminished, whilst that of the a-type oxidase increased.

The effect of adenosine triphosphate on the tricarboxylate transporting system of rat liver mitochondria

ATP has two significant effects on the mitochondrial tricarboxylate transporting system. First, it alters the concentration gradients at equilibrium for the substrates of this transporter. ATP (2MM) caused the uptake of 10 nmol of citrate into the mitochondria coincident with the output of a similar amount of L-malate. This redistribution was dependent on ATP transport, the effect being inhibited by atractyloside and mimicked by the nonmetabolizable derivative adenylyl imidodiphosphate. A mechanism to account for these observations is proposed. Secondly, preincubation of mitochondria with ATP resulted in a 2- to 3-fold increase in the K-m of the mitochondrial citrate transporter. This effect of ATP was not produced by ADP and P-i, nor by N, N, N1, N1-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine and ascorbate. It was prevented by the addition of rotenone and antimycin A. This effect of ATP was observed in the presence of oligomycin and could not be attributed to a change in the content of the known tricarboxylate carrier inhibitor, palmitoyl-CoA, nor to the ATP concentration. The origin of possible regulatory factor (or factors) is discussed.

[Comparative study of the effect of nonionic detergents as inhibitors of respiration of tumor ascites cells]

The action of derivatives of polyoxyethylene oxide (triton X-100, triton X-305, tween 21, tween 40, tween 60, and tween 80) on respiration of Ehrlich's tumor and rats ovarium tumor cells involved inhibition of the cells respiration due to alteration of commonly uncorrelated with the distribution of detergents between the cell and the extracellular milieu.

Effects of 5,5'-diphenyl-2-thiohydantoin on respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of rat liver mitochondria

5,5'-Diphenyl-2-thiohydantoin (DPTH) administered in vitro, inhibited state 3 oxidation, stimulated state 4 oxidation and decreased ADP:O ratio when 3-hydroxybutyrate and succinate were used as substrates. Considerably lower DPTH concentrations were required for the inhibition of 3-hydroxybutyrate oxidation (50% inhibition occurred at approximately 0.17 mumoles DPTH/mg protein) than were needed for inhibition of succinate oxidation (50% inhibition occurred at about 0.62 mumoles DPTH/mg protein). DPTH showed no inhibitory effects when ascorbate plus tetramethylphenylenediamine (TMPD) served as the substrate. The inhibition of state 3 respiration was not reversed by 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), although there was a slight increase in the DNP rate:state 3 rate suggesting the presence of a weak DPTH inhibotory site located within the Site I energy transport chain. Uncoupling, in the presence of DPTH, was observed with all substrates. In experiments utilizing sonicated mitochondria, DPTH inhibited NADH-linked oxidation, but did not inhibit succinate or ascorbate plus TMPD oxidation. The effects of DPTH were reversed by dilution and by addition of albumin. DPTH concentrations which produced inhibition of state 3 respiration in vitro were reached, in vivo, in the livers of rats receiving a single oral dose of 40 mg/kg of DPTH.