Respiration-driven proton translocation in rat liver mitochondria

Respiratory properties of cytochrome-c-deficient mutants of Azotobacter vinelandii

Cytochrome-c-deficient mutants of Azotobacter vinelandii have been isolated following mutagenesis with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. These mutants grow well under nitrogen-fixing conditions and studies of the physiology and energy conservation efficiency show no apparent differences from those of the parent strain. Under oxygen-limited growth conditions, the growth rate of the cytochrome-c-deficient mutant was slightly slower (approx. 15%) than that of the parent strain. Cytochromes of the c-type are required for the oxidation of artificial electron donors such as reduced N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine [Ph(NMe2)2]. This study could not demonstrate a physiological role for the c-type cytochromes which supports the idea that the minor Ph(NMe2)2-oxidizing pathway of the electron transport chain may be independent of the major pathway terminated by cytochrome d.

Rapid action of glucagon on hepatic mitochondrial calcium metabolism and respiratory rates

The time course for the effects of acute, in vivo glucagon treatment on energy-linked functions of isolated hepatic mitochondria has been studied. After 1 min of glucagon treatment, two changes are observed in mitochondrial function. State 4 (nonphosphorylating) respiratory rates with L-glutamate as substrate are decreased. No significant change is observed in the State 4 respiratory rates with succinate as substrate at 1 min of treatment. Concurrent with the change in nonphosphorylating respiratory rates is a decrease in the half time of spontaneous calcium release from mitochondria preloaded with calcium in a phosphate-containing medium. After 2-4 min of treatment, the previously reported stimulations in rates of State 3 (phosphorylating) respiration and calcium influx into mitochondria are observed. After approximately 6 min of treatment, these changes have reached their maxima. The combined effects of increased calcium uptake rate and decreased calcium efflux rate leads to a decrease in the calcium cycling rate of mitochondria. This decrease in the cycling rate should lead to the increased efficiency of mitochondrial energy transduction and may be responsible, in part, for the increased functional capability of mitochondria isolated from glucagon-treated animals. A correlate of the reduced cycling rate is a decrease in the steady-state concentration at which the mitochondria can buffer the calcium concentration of the incubation medium. The changes observed in calcium efflux rates and respiratory rates exhibit a time course consistent with possible intermediates in the glucagon-induced stimulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis.

Metabolic modulation of stoichiometry in a proton pump

The current-voltage characteristics of the ATP-dependent proton pump in the plasma membrane of Neurospora have been explored under varied metabolic conditions imposed by mutation and by differential respiratory inhibition. The reversal potential, or presumed equilibrium potential, for the pump was observed at about -400 mV under energy-replete conditions, and at about -200 mV during a stable metabolic downshift of 55 percent. Steady-state levels of adenine nucleotides and inorganic phosphate, however, were not affected by this partial energy restriction, so that under both normal and restricted conditions the apparent free energy of ATP hydrolysis remained near -500 mV. The results suggest that a normal pump stoichiometry of 1 H+ extruded/1 ATP split is modified to 2 H+/1 ATP, by chronic energy restriction.

Deterioration of rat liver mitochondria under conditions of metabolite deprivation

In a previous study [Parce, Cunningham & Waite (1978) Biochemistry 17, 1634-1639] changes in mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism and energy-linked functions were monitored as coupled mitochondria were aged in iso-osmotic sucrose solution at 18 degrees C. The sequence of events that occur in mitochondrial deterioration under the above conditions have been established more completely. Total adenine nucleotides are depleted early in the aging process, and their loss parallels the decline in respiratory control. Related to the loss of total adenine nucleotides is a dramatic decrease in ADP and ATP translocation (uptake). The decline of respiratory control is due primarily to a decrease in State-3 respiration; loss of this respiratory activity can be related to the decline in ADP translocation. Mitochondrial ATPase activity does not increase significantly until State-4 respiration has increased appreciably. At the time of loss of respiratory control the ATPase activity increases to equal the uncoupler-stimulated activity. The H+/O ratio and P/O ratios do not decrease appreciably until respiratory control is lost. Similarly, permeability of the membrane to the passive diffusion of protons increases only after respiratory control is lost. There observations reinforce our earlier conclusion that there are two main phases in mitochondrial aging. The first phase is characterized by loss of the ability to translocate adenine nucleotides. The second phase is characterized by a decline in the ability of the mitochondrion to conserve energy (i.e. maintain a respiration-driven proton gradient) and to synthesize ATP.

Enhancement of hydrogen peroxide formation by protophores and ionophores in antimycin-supplemented mitochondria

Rat and pigeon heart mitochondria supplemented with antimycin produce 0.3-1.0nmol of H(2)O(2)/min per mg of protein. These rates are stimulated up to 13-fold by addition of protophores (carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, carbonyl cyanide m-chloromethoxyphenylhydrazone and pentachlorophenol). Ionophores, such as valinomycin and gramicidin, and Ca(2+) also markedly stimulated H(2)O(2) production by rat heart mitochondria. The enhancement of H(2)O(2) generation in antimycin-supplemented mitochondria and the increased O(2) uptake of the State 4-to-State 3 transition showed similar protophore, ionophore and Ca(2+) concentration dependencies. Thenoyltrifluoroacetone and N-bromosuccinimide, which inhibit succinate-ubiquinone reductase activity, also decreased mitochondrial H(2)O(2) production. Addition of cyanide to antimycin-supplemented beef heart submitochondrial particles inhibited the generation of O(2) (-), the precursor of mitochondrial H(2)O(2). This effect was parallel to the increase in cytochrome c reduction and it is interpreted as indicating the necessity of cytochrome c(1) (3+) to oxidize ubiquinol to ubisemiquinone, whose autoxidation yields O(2) (-). The effect of protophores, ionophores and Ca(2+) is analysed in relation to the propositions of a cyclic mechanism for the interaction of ubiquinone with succinate dehydrogenase and cytochromes b and c(1) [Wikstrom & Berden (1972) Biochim. Biophys. Acta283, 403-420; Mitchell (1976) J. Theor. Biol.62, 337-367]. A collapse in membrane potential, increasing the rate of ubisemiquinone formation and O(2) (-) production, is proposed as the molecular mechanism for the enhancement of H(2)O(2) formation rates observed on addition of protophores, ionophores and Ca(2+).

Molecular aspects of cytochrome c oxidase: structure and dynamics

In the last few years much attention has been dedicated to the elucidation of some of the molecular aspects of cytochrome c oxidase. It has been shown conclusively that the enzyme from several sources (yeast, Neurospora, heart, liver) contains seven different subunits, which are asymmetrically inserted in the membrane. All of these are in contact with the lipid bilayer (except subunits V and VI) and to a greater or lesser extent with the water phase as well (except for subunit I). Subunit II of the enzyme appears to be involved in the formation of the binding site of cytochrome c. The location of the redox groups of the enzyme is still a matter of controversy. Their distance from the cytochrome c heme group is approximately 35 A such that electron tunneling appears to be the only possible mechanism for transporting electrons across such a distance. A proton pump appears to be associated with electron transport and approximately one proton is extruded per electron equivalent reducing oxygen via the enzyme. N,N', dicyclohexylcarbodiimide a well-established inhibitor of H+-translocating ATPases inhibits the proton pump and labels specifically subunit III of the enzyme.

Variable proton conductance of submitochondrial particles

The relationship between the rate of substrate oxidation and the protonmotive force (electrochemical proton gradient) generated by bovine heart submitochondrial particles has been examined. Unexpectedly, oxidation of succinate generated a higher protonmotive force than the oxidation of NADH, although the rate of proton translocation across the membrane was inferred to be considerably lower with succinate as substrate. The data suggest that the flow of electrons through site 1 of the respiratory chain may increase the conductance of the mitochondrial membrane for protons. Upon reduction of the rate of succinate oxidation by titration with malonate, the protonmotive force remained essentially constant until the extent of inhibition was greater than 75%. The general conclusion from this work is that a constant passive membrane conductance for protons cannot be assumed.

On the stoichiometry and thermodynamics of proton-pumping cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria

Different approaches have been used to evaluate the stoichiometry of proton translocation linked to cytochrome c oxidase in rat liver mitochondria. A mathematical model was designed that successfully describes the kinetics of redox-linked proton translocation provided that the rate of electron transfer is not too high. With ascorbate as reductant, an essentially pH-independent (in the pH range 6--8.5) proton ejection stoichiometry (H+/e-) is obtained from either initial rates of H+ ejection (0.86 +/- 0.12), or the model (0.87 +/- 0.14). Similar results are obtained with either ferrocyanide, N.N.N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or externally added cytochrome c mediating between ascorbate and cytochrome c in rotenone- and antimycin-inhibited mitochondria. Oxygen pulse experiments with ferrocytochrome c as substrate show fully uncoupler-sensitive redox-linked proton ejection with a stoichiometry of 0.78 +/- 0.14. With murexide to measure Ca2+ uptake during oxidation of ferrocyanide, we found a stoichiometry of two positive charges taken up/electron transferred, confirming earlier findings. These results provide strong evidence that cytochrome c oxidase functions as a redox-linked proton pump with a stoichiometry of one H+ ejected and two charges translocated/electron transferred. The thermodynamic consequences of the proton pump are discussed and a maximal P/O ratio of 1 1/3 for 'site 3' is predicted in agreement with state 4 redox potentials and phosphate potential.

Membrane H+ conductance of Streptococcus lactis

Membrane conductance to H+ was measured in the anaerobic bacterium Streptoccus lactis by a pulse technique employing a low driving force (0.1 pH unit; 6 mV). Over the pH range of 3.7 to 8.5, a constant value for passive H+ conductance was observed, corresponding to 0.2 mumol of H+/s per p/ unit per g, dry weight (1.6 microS/cm2 of surface area). The pH insensitivity of this low basal H+ conductance supports the idea that a circulation of protons can mediate highly efficiency engery transductions across the membranes of bacteria.

Growth yields, polysaccharide production and energy conservation in chemostat cultures of Rhizobium trifolii

Rhizobium trifolii was grown in a defined medium in chemostat cultures. Extracellular polysaccharide production was found in carbon-sufficient as well as in carbon-limited cultures. Extracellular polysaccharide production in carbon-limited cultures was strongly dependent on the growth rate. In mannitol-limited cultures, asparagine was always totally depleted from the culture medium. Only when the asparagine supply was not sufficient to meet the nitrogen need of the culture, ammonia assimilation took place. Excess organic nitrogen was excreted as ammonia. Whether ammonia assimilation or ammonia excretion took place was also dependent on the growth rate. Respiration-coupled proton translocation measurements showed the presence of three energy conserving sites in an electron transport chain which is branched. Assuming a H+/P ratio of 4, a P/O ratio of 2.33 was found. Growth yield calculations indicated a P/O ratio of approximately 2. Sulphate limitation in the chemostat culture resulted in a decrease in the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation and in a less stringent coupling between growth and energy yielding processes.

Membrane potential of mitochondria measured with an electrode sensitive to tetraphenyl phosphonium and relationship between proton electrochemical potential and phosphorylation potential in steady state

The membrane potential of mitochondria was estimated from the accumulation of tetraphenyl phosphonium (TPP+), which was determined with the TPP+-selective electrode developed in the present study. The preparation and some operational parameters of the electrode were described. The kinetics for uptake by mitochondria of TPP+ and DDA+ (dibenzyldimethyl ammonium) were analyzed, and it was found that TPP+ permeated the mitochondrial membrane about 15 times faster than DDA+. The final amounts of accumulation of TPP+ and DDA+ by mitochondria were approximately equal. For the state-4 mitochondria, the membrane potential was about 180 mV (interior negative). Simultaneous measurements of TPP+-uptake and oxygen consumption showed that the transition between states 3 and 4 was detectable by use of the TPP+-electrode. After the TPP+-electrode showed that state-4 was reached, the extra-mitochondrial phosphorylation potential was measured. The difference in pH across the membrane was measured from the distribution of permeant anion, acetate, so as to calculate the proton electrochemical potential. The ratio of extra-mitochondrial phosphorylation potential to proton electro-chemical potential, n was close to 3. This value of n was also found to be 3 when ATP was hydrolyzed under the condition that the respiratory chain was arrested. The implication that n = 3 was discussed.

Effect of growth conditions on the involvement of cytochrome c in electron transport, proton translocation and ATP synthesis in the facultative methylotroph Pseudomonas AM1

The stoicheiometry of proton translocation, the amounts of cytochromes firmly bound to membranes, and cell yields with respect to succinate and O(2) have been measured in the facultative methylotroph Pseudomonas AM1 and in the mutant lacking cytochrome c (mutant PCT76) during carbon-limited growth and carbon-excess growth. -->H(+)/O ratios during endogenous respiration of about 4 were measured in wild-type bacteria grown in carbon-excess conditions, and in the mutant in all growth conditions. During methanol- or succinate-limited growth of wild-type bacteria the -->H(+)/O ratio increased to about 6. Cell yields with respect to succinate and O(2) were higher in wild-type than in the mutant lacking cytochrome c by an amount suggesting loss in the mutant of 30% of the ATP-generating capacity of wild-type bacteria. During carbon-limited growth on methanol or succinate some cytochrome c was tightly bound to bacterial membranes, whereas none was tightly bound in bacteria grown in batch-culture or in NH(4) (+)-limited conditions. It is proposed that the role of cytochrome c in Pseudomonas AM1 depends on growth conditions and hence on the ;needs' of the bacteria. During growth in carbon-excess conditions it is only required for methanol oxidation, mediating between methanol dehydrogenase and cytochrome a/a(3). In these conditions oxidation of NADH and succinate by way of cytochrome b and cytochrome a/a(3) occurs without the mediation of cytochrome c. This is the only route for oxidation of NADH and succinate in the cytochrome c-deficient mutant in all growth conditions. During carbon-limited growth the cytochrome c becomes bound to the membrane in such a way that it can mediate between cytochromes b and a/a(3), hence becoming involved in proton translocation and ATP synthesis during NADH and succinate oxidation. An alternative possibility is that in wild-type bacteria the cytochrome c is always involved in electron transport, but that its involvement in measurable proton translocation only occurs in carbon-limited conditions.

Oxygen-pulse curves in rat liver mitochondrial suspensions. Some observations and deductions

1. The inference, implicit in the chemiosmotic hypothesis, that protons move into the bulk phase during ATP synthesis was investigated. 2. Incubation of rat liver mitochondria in the presence of the cation exchanger CM-Sephadex C-50 caused alkalinization in the medium, though total ATP synthesis remained unchanged. The addition of N-ethylmaleimide prevented the alkalinization, but there was still no indication of protons passing into the medium. The expected proton movement [Mitchell & Moyle (1967) Biochem. J. 105, 1147--1162] was readily detected when as an equivalent acid pulse. 3. Analysis of delta H+ decay curves after O2 pulses (3 micrograms-atoms of O/g of protein) indicated the presence of fast and slow components of decay, with first-order rate constants (k) of 0.24s-1 and 0.032s-1. The fast decay was finite and was eliminated in the presence of N-ethylmaleimide. 4. These observations are interpreted as evidence for the development of unmasking of fixed charges on the outer surface of the mitochondrial inner membrane during energization and for the existence of proton-retentive electrical fields (rho-zones) on this surface. The charge concentration is calculated as about 1 charge/10nm2. 5. A cycle of changes in a single fixed-charge molecule is proposed which mediates both Ca2+ uptake and the first step in the utilization of the rho-zone protonmotive force, delta p rho.

The Ninth Sir Hans Krebs Lecture. Compartmentation and communication in living systems. Ligand conduction: a general catalytic principle in chemical, osmotic and chemiosmotic reaction systems

Chemical reactions, like osmotic reactions, are transport processes when looked at in detail. Chemical catalysis by enzymes or catalytic carriers, and osmotic catalysis by porters, may be conceived as occurring by specific ligand-conduction mechanisms. In chemiosmotic reaction systems, the pathways of specific ligand conduction are spatially orientated through anisotropic enzyme and catalytic carrier complexes in which the reactions of chemical group transfer occur as vectorial diffusion processes of group translocation down gradients of group potential that represent real spatially-directed fields of chemical force. Thus, it is easier to explain biochemistry in terms of transport than it is to explain transport in terms of biochemistry.

The cycling of calcium, sodium, and protons across the inner membrane of cardiac mitochondria

A method is described that permits simultaneous determination of the net charge transfer associated with Ca2+ transport by the ruthenium-red-sensitive carrier and the ionized internal [Ca2+] in heart mitochondria. The data indicate that this carrier catalyses a charge-uncompensated flux of Ca2+. Full charge compensation for Ca2+ influx is provided by the respiration-dependent efflux of H+. The net efflux of Ca2+ induced by Na+ is analysed in terms of two other carriers, a Na+-Ca2+ antiporter and a Na+-H+ antiporter. Evidence is presented that these two carriers are separate and that the Na+-H+ exchange is the more rapid. The fluxes of Ca2+, Na+ and H+ during the Na+-induced efflux of Ca2+ support a series of events in which the Na+-H+ exchange enables unidirectional Ca2+ fluxes via the uniport and antiport systems to be integrated into a cycle.

Stoichiometry of vectorial H+ movements coupled to electron transport and to ATP synthesis in mitochondria

In order to verify more directly our earlier measurements showing that, on the average, close to four vectorial H(+) are rejected per pair of electrons passing each of the three energy-conserving sites of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, direct tests of the H(+)/2e(-) ratio for sites 2 and 3 were carried out in the presence of permeant charge-compensating cations. Site 2 was examined by utilizing succinate as electron donor and ferricyanide as electron acceptor from mitochondrial cytochrome c; the directly measured H(+)/2e(-) ratio was close to 4. Energy-conserving site 3 was isolated for study with ferrocyanide or ascorbate plus tetramethylphenylenediamine as electron donors to cytochrome c and with oxygen as electron acceptor. The directly measured H(+)/2e(-) ratio for site 3 was close to 4. The H(+)/ATP ratio (number of vectorial H(+) ejected per ATP hydrolyzed) was determined with a new method in which the steady-state rates of both H(+) ejection and ATP hydrolysis were measured in the presence of K(+) + valinomycin. The H(+)/ATP ratio was found to approach 3.0. A proton cycle for oxidative phosphorylation is proposed, in which four electrochemical H(+) equivalents are ejected per pair of electrons passing each energy-conserving site; three of the H(+) equivalents pass inward to derive ATP synthesis from ADP and phosphate and the fourth H(+) is used to bring about the energy-requiring electrogenic expulsion of ATP(4-) in exchange for extramitochondrial ADP(3-), via the H(+)/H(2)PO(4) (-) symporter.

Proton-translocating cytochrome c oxidase in artificial phospholipid vesicles

The proton translocating properties of cytochrome c oxidase have been studied in artificial phospholipid vesicles into the membranes of which the isolated and purified enzyme was incorporated. Initiation of oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by addition of the cytochrome, or by addition of oxygen to an anaerobic vesicle suspension, leads to ejection of H+ from the vesicles provided that charge compensation is permitted by the presence of valinomycin and K+. Proton ejection is not observed if the membranes have been specifically rendered permeable to protons. The proton ejection is the result of true translocation of H+ across the membrane as indicated by its dependence on the intravesicular buffering power relative to the number of particles (electrons and protons) transferred by the system, and since it can be shown not to be due to a net formation of acid in the system. Comparison of the initial rates of proton ejection and oxidation of cytochrome c yields a H+/e- quotient close to 1.0 both in cytochrome c and oxygen pulse experiments. An approach towards the same stoichiometry is found by comparison of the extents of proton ejection and electron transfer under appropriate experimental conditions. It is concluded that cytochrome c oxidase is a proton pump, which conserves redox energy by converting it into an electrochemical proton gradient through electrogenic translocation of H+.