Ascorbate free-radical reduction by glyoxysomal membranes

Glyoxysomal membranes from germinating castor bean (Ricinus communis L. cv Hale) endosperm contain an NADH dehydrogenase. This enzyme can utilize extraorganellar ascorbate free-radical as a substrate and can oxidize NADH at a rate which can support intraglyoxysomal demand for NAD⁺. NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase was found to be membrane-associated, and the activity remained in the membrane fraction after lysis of glyoxysomes by osmotic shock, followed by pelleting of the membranes. In whole glyoxysomes, NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase, like NADH:ferricyanide reductase and unlike NADH:cytochrome c reductase, was insensitive to trypsin and was not inactivated by Triton X-100 detergent. These results suggest that ascorbate free-radical is reduced by the same component which reduces ferricyanide in the glyoxysomal membrane redox system. NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase comigrated with NADH:ferricyanide and cytochrome c reductases when glyoxy-somal membranes were solubilized with detergent and subjected to rate-zonal centrifugation. The results suggest that ascorbate free-radical, when reduced to ascorbate by membrane redox system, could serve as a link between glyoxysomal metabolism and other cellular activities.     

beta-Oxidation and Glyoxylate Cycle Coupled to NADH: Cytochrome c and Ferricyanide Reductases in Glyoxysomes

Glyoxysomes isolated from castor bean (Ricinus communis L., var Hale) endosperm had NADH:ferricyanide reductase and NADH:cytochrome c reductase activities averaging 720 and 140 nanomole electrons/per minute per milligram glyoxysomal protein, respectively. These redox activities were greater than could be attributed to contamination of the glyoxysomal fractions in which 1.4% of the protein was mitochondrial and 5% endoplasmic reticulum. The NADH:ferricyanide reductase activity in the glyoxysomes was greater than the palmitoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) oxidation activity which generated NADH at a rate of 340 nanomole electrons per minute per milligram glyoxysomal protein. Palmitoyl-CoA oxidation could be coupled to ferricyanide or cytochrome c reduction. Complete oxidation of palmitoyl-CoA, yielding 14 nanomole electrons/per nanomole palmitoyl-CoA, was demonstrated with the acceptors, NAL, cytochrome c, and ferricyanide. Malate was also oxidized by glyoxysomes, if acetyl-CoA, ferricyanide, or cytochrome c was present. Glyoxysomal NADH:ferricyanide reductase activity has the capacity to support the combined rates of NADH generation by β-oxidation and the glyoxylate cycle.     

Development of Endoplasmic Reticulum and Glyoxysomal Membrane Redox Activities during Castor Bean Germination

Redox activities, NADH:ferricyanide reductase, NAD(P)H:cytochrome reductases, and NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase, are present in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and glyoxysomal membranes from the endosperm of germinating castor bean (Ricinus comminus L. var Hale). The development of these functions was followed in glyoxysomes and ER isolated on sucrose gradients from castor bean endosperm daily from 0 through 6 days of germination. On a per seed basis, glyoxysomal and ER protein, glyoxysomal and ER membrane redox enzyme activities, and glyoxylate cycle activities peaked at day 4 as did the ER membrane content of cytochrome P-450. NADH:ferricyanide reductase was present in glyoxysomes and ER isolated from dry seed. This activity increased only about twofold in glyoxysomes and threefold in ER during germination relative to the amount of protein in the respective fractions. The other reductases, NADH:cytochrome reductase and NADH:ascorbate free-radical reductase, increased about 10-fold in the ER relative to protein up to 4 to 5 days, then declined. NADPH:cytochrome reductase reached maximum activity relative to protein at day 2 in both organelles. The increases in redox activities during germination indicate that the membranes of the ER and glyoxysome are being enriched with redox proteins during their development. The development of redox functions in glyoxysomes was found to be coordinated with development of the glyoxylate cycle.     

Electron transport in glyoxysomal membranes

Glyoxysomes were isolated from germinating castor bean endosperm by equilibrium density gradient centrifugation in a vertical rotor. To recover the membranes, glyoxysome ghosts were prepared by osmotic shock and then subjected to differential centrifugation. The glyoxysomal membranes and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), isolated by the same methods, were assayed for electron transport components. Both organelles contained NADH ferricyanide reductase, NADH cytochrome c reductase, and cytochromes b₅ and P-420. The ER also contained cytochrome P-450. Pyridine hemochrome derivatives of the organelle membranes and hemin produced coincident difference spectra, indicating that only b-type cytochromes are present in glyoxysomal and ER membranes. The maximal activities of ferricyanide reductase and cytochrome c reductase in glyoxysomes, 2.19 and 0.33 μmol min^?1 mg membrane protein^?1, respectively, represent 30 and 18% of the activities in the ER. The cytochrome b₅ content of the glyoxysomal membrane is 0.108 nmol mg^?1, 31% of the level found in ER. The reductases from both organelles were resistant to solubilization by salt (0.2 m KCl) and were easily solubilized by detergent (1% Triton X-100). Flavin analysis of the organelles from germinating castor beam endosperm confirmed spectral evidence that the flavin content of glyoxysomes is quite high, 100 pmol mg protein^?1, more than twice that of mitochondria. Three-quarters of the glyoxysomal flavin was solubilized by KCl, but even after salt treatment the glyoxysomal membrane flavin content, 98 pmol mg membrane protein^?1, is three times greater than that of the ER.     

Spinach Nitrate Reductase : Effects of Ionic Strength and pH on the Full and Partial Enzyme Activities

Initial velocity studies of immunopurified spinach nitrate reductase have been performed under conditions of controlled ionic strength and pH and in the absence of chloride ions. Increased ionic strength stimulated NADH:ferricyanide reductase and reduced flavin:nitrate reductase activities and inhibited NADH:nitrate reductase, NADH:cytochrome c reductase and reduced methyl viologen:nitrate reductase activities. NADH:dichlorophenolindophenol reductase activity was unaffected by changes in ionic strength. All of the partial activities, expressed in terms of micromole 2 electron transferred per minute per nanomole heme, were faster than the overall full, NADH:nitrate reductase activity indicating that none of the partial activities included the rate limiting step in electron transfer from NADH to nitrate. The pH optimum for NADH:nitrate reductase activity was determined to be 7 while values for the various partial activities ranged from 6.5 to 7.5. Chlorate, bromate, and iodate were determined to be alternate electron acceptors for the reduced enzyme. These results indicate that unlike the enzyme from Chlorella vulgaris, intramolecular electron transfer between reduced heme and Mo is not rate limiting for spinach nitrate reductase.     

The oxidation-reduction characteristics of cytochrome b5 in hen liver microsomes.

Hen liver microsomes contained 0.20 nmol of cytochromeb₅ per mg of protein. Upon addition of NADH about 95% cytochrome b₅ was reduced very fast with a rate constant of 206 s^?1When ferricyanide was added to the reaction system the cytochrome stayed in the oxidized form until the ferricyanide reduction was almost completed. The reduced cytochrome b₅ in microsomes was oxidized very rapidly by ferricyanide. The rate constant of 4.5 × 10⁸m^?1 s^?1, calculated on the basis of assumption that ferricyanide reacts directly with the cytochrome, was found to be more than 100 times higher than that of the reaction between ferricyanide and soluble cytochrome b₅. To explain the results, therefore, the reverse electron flow from cytochrome b₅ to the flavin coenzyme in microsomes was assumed.By three independent methods the specific activity of the microsomes was measured at about 20 nmol of NADH oxidized per s per mg of protein and it was concluded that the reduction of the flavin coenzyme of cytochrome b₅ reductase by NADH is rate-limiting in the NADH-cytochrome b₅ and NADH-ferricyanide reductase reactions of hen liver microsomes. In the NADH-ferricyanide reductase reaction the apparent Michaelis constant for NADH was 2.8 μm and that for ferricyanide was too low to be measured. In the NADH-cytochrome c reductase reaction the maximum velocity was 2.86 nmol of cytochrome c reduced per s per mg of protein and the apparent Michaelis constant for cytochrome c was 3.8 μm.     

Electron transport in purified glyoxysomal membranes from castor-bean endosperm

Glyoxysomes isolated from castor-bean (Ricinus communis L.) endosperm were treated with water, 0.2 M KCl, 1 M KCl, or 0.1 M Na₂CO₃. Glyoxysomal sacs, i.e. membranes which retained some visible matrix, resulted from the treatments with water and KCl. Glyoxysomal ghosts, i.e. intact membranes free of matrix, were only obtained following treatment with carbonate. The ghosts were free of activities of matrix enzymes, particularly palmitoyl-CoA oxidation, isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42) and isocitrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.1), and contained only negligible amounts of malate synthase (EC 4.1.3.2), malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), -hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.98) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6). Distribution and appearance of membrane-associated particles in the protoplasmic and ectoplasmic faces of freeze-fracture replicas of the glyoxysomal membrane were the same in intact tissue, isolated glyoxysomes, and ghosts. Membranes purified by treatment with 0.2 M KCl or 0.1 M carbonate catalyzed the reduction of cytochrome-c when NADH or NADPH was provided as the electron donor. -Oxidation, localized in the matrix, could be linked to reduction of cytochrome-c or ferricyanide when purified membranes were combined with the matrix supernatant. Cytochrome-c could also be reduced by coupling enzyme activities in the matrix, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase or malate dehydrogenase, with those of the membrane. These results indicate that electrons from -oxidation, malate oxidation or isocitrate oxidation can be transferred directly to the redox components of the glyoxysomal membrane. We, therefore, conclude that any NADH and NADPH formed by enzymes in the matrix can be recycled continuously within the organelle.Abbreviations EF ectoplasmic face - ER endoplasmic reticulum - PF protoplasmic face     

Behaviour of some mitochondrial enzymes in ripening tomato fruit

The activities of four mitochondrial enzymes were studied in four stages of ripening tomato fruit. The highest enzyme activity was recorded for malate dehydrogenase followed by cytochrome c oxidase. Succinate dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase levels were low and could only be determined in the green stage of the fruit. However, peaks of various enzyme activities coincided in identical mitochondrial fractions on the sucrose density gradient. Moreover, the levels of malate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase were constant during the ripening process while the other two enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase, declined. This might indicate that mitochondria retain some of their essential functions through the ripening process.     

Oxidation of NADH by plant mitochondria: Kinetics and effects of calcium ions

The kinetics of NADH oxidation by the outer membrane electron transport system of intact beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) mitochondria were investigated. Very different values for V_max and the K_m for NADH were obtained when either antimycin A-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c activity (V_max= 31 ± 2.5 nmol cytochrome c (mg protein)^?1 min^?1; K_m= 3.1 ± 0.8 μM) or antimycin A-insensitive NADH-ferricyanide activity (V_max= 1.7 ± 0.7 μmol ferricyanide (mg protein)^?1 min^?1; K_m= 83 ± 20 μM) were measured. As ferricyanide is believed to accept electrons closer to the NADH binding site than cytochrome c, it was concluded that 83 ± 20 μM NADH represented a more accurate estimate of the binding affinity of the outer membrane dehydrogenase for NADH. The low K_m determined with NADH-cytochrome c activity may be due to a limitation in electron flow through the components of the outer membrane electron transport chain. The K_m for NADH of the externally-facing inner membrane NADH dehydrogenase of pea leaf (Pisum sativum L. cv. Massey Gem) mitochondria was 26.7 ± 4.3 μM when oxygen was the electron acceptor. At an NADH concentration at which the inner membrane dehydrogenase should predominate, the Ca²⁺ chelator, ethyleneglycol-(β-aminoethylether)-N,N,-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), inhibited the oxidation of NADH through to oxygen and to the ubiquinone-10 analogues, duroquinone and ubiquinone-1, but had no effect on the antimycin A-insensitive ferricyanide reduction. It is concluded that the site of action of Ca²⁺ involves the interaction of the enzyme with ubiquinone and not with NADH.     

The kinetics of enzyme changes in yeast under conditions that cause the loss of mitochondria

1. Aerobically grown yeast having a high activity of glyoxylate-cycle, citric acid-cycle and electron-transport enzymes was transferred to a medium containing 10% glucose. After a lag phase of 30min. the yeast grew exponentially with a mean generation time of 94min. 2. The enzymes malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate lyase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase lost 45%, 17%, 27% and 46% of their activity respectively during the lag phase. 3. When growth commenced pyruvate kinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP⁺-linked) and NADPH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase increased in activity, whereas aconitase, isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺- and NADP⁺-linked), α-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, fumarase, malate dehydrogenase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH oxidase, NADPH oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺-linked), glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase, isocitrate lyase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased. 4. During the early stages of growth the loss of activity of aconitase, α-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, fumarase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase could be accounted for by dilution by cell division. The lower rate of loss of activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺- and NADP⁺-linked), glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺-linked), glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase, NADPH oxidase and cytochrome c oxidase implies their continued synthesis, whereas the higher rate of loss of activity of malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate lyase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH oxidase means that these enzymes were actively removed. 5. The mechanisms of selective removal of enzyme activity and the control of the residual metabolic pathways are discussed.     

Orientation of chromatophores and spheroplast-derived membrane vesicles of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides: analysis by localization of enzyme activities.

Intact spheroplasts, vesicles obtained from French-press lysates (chromatophores), and spheroplast-derived vesicles were isolated from photosynthetically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Lysed spheroplasts showed specific activities of succinate, NADH, and l-lactate dehydrogenase which were eight-, six-, and seven-fold higher, respectively, than those of intact spheroplasts when ferricyanide was used as electron acceptor. Mg²⁺-ATPase activity of lysed spheroplasts, measured using an assay system coupled to the oxidation of NADH, was seven-fold higher than the activity of intact sheroplasts. Toluene-treated spheroplast-derived vesicles displayed higher succinate dehydrogenase (ferricyanide reduction) and Mg²⁺-ATPase activities than untreated vesicles whereas no differences were measured between untreated and toluene-treated chromatophores. However, NADH dehydrogenase (ferricyanide reduction) activities of both toluene-treated vesicles and chromatophores were higher than the activities of untreated vesicles and chromatophores. When chromatophores and spheroplast-derived vesicles were preincubated with trypsin, the l-lactate and succinate dehydrogenase activities of chromatophores were preferentially inactivated when phenazine methosulfate was used as electron acceptor. The data indicate that chromatophores are oriented in an opposite direction to the spheroplast-derived vesicles. At least 80% of the latter are oriented in a direction equivalent to the cytoplasmic membrane of intact cells and spheroplasts. Spheroplast-derived vesicles from cells grown with higher light intensities seem to be more uniformly oriented than those obtained from cells grown with lower light intensities.     

Malate Oxidation in Plant Mitochondria via Malic Enzyme and the Cyanide-insensitive Electron Transport Pathway

Malate oxidation in plant mitochondria proceeds through the activities of two enzymes: a malate dehydrogenase and a NAD⁺-dependent malic enzyme. In cauliflower, mitochondria malate oxidation via malate dehydrogenase is rotenone- and cyanide-sensitive. Addition of exogenous NAD⁺ stimulates the oxidation of malate via malic enzyme and generates an electron flux that is both rotenone- and cyanide-insensitive. The same effects of exogenous NAD⁺ are also observed with highly cyanide-sensitive mitochondria from white potato tubers or with mitochondria from spinach leaves. Both enzymes are located in the matrix, but some experimental data also suggest that part of malate dehydrogenase activity is also present outside the matrix compartment (adsorbed cytosolic malate dehydrogenase?). It is concluded that malic enzyme and a specific pool of NAD⁺/NADH are connected to the cyanide-insensitive alternative pathway by a specific rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase located on the inner face of the inner membrane. Similarly, malate dehydrogenase and another specific pool of NAD⁺/NADH are connected to the cyanide- (and antimycin-) sensitive pathway by a rotenone-sensitive NADH dehydrogenase located on the inner face of the inner membrane. A general scheme of electron transport in plant mitochondria for the oxidation of malate and NADH can be given, assuming that different pools of ubiquinone act as a branch point between various dehydrogenases, the cyanide-sensitive cytochrome pathway and the cyanide-insensitive alternative pathway.     

Characterization of membrane-bound electron transport enzymes from castor bean glyoxysomes and endoplasmic reticulum

Membranes purified from castor bean endosperm glyoxysomes by washing with sodium carbonate exhibited integral NADH:ferricyanide and NADH:cytochrome c reductase activities. The enzyme activities could not be attributed to contamination by other endomembranes. Purified endoplasmic reticulum membranes also contained the redox activities; and marker enzyme analysis indicated minimum cross contamination between glyoxysomal and endoplasmic reticulum fractions. The glyoxysomal redox activities were optimally solubilized at detergent to protein ratios (weight to weight) of 10 (Triton X-100), 50 (3-[3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate), and 100 (octylglucoside). Detergent in excess of the solubilization optimum was stimulatory to NADH:ferricyanide reductase and inhibitory to NADH:cytochrome c reductase. Endoplasmic reticulum redox activity solubilization profiles were similar to those obtained for glyoxysomal enzymes using Triton X-100. Purification of the glyoxysomal and endoplasmic reticulum NADH:ferricyanide reductases was accomplished using dye-ligand affinity chromatography on Cibacron blue 3GA agarose. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of NADH:ferricyanide reductase preparations purified by rate-zonal density gradient centrifugation, affinity chromatography, and nondenaturing electrophoresis of detergent-solubilized glyoxysomal and endoplasmic reticulum membranes consistently displayed 32- and 33-kDa silver-stained polypeptide bands, respectively.     

Expression in Escherichia coli of Cytochrome c Reductase Activity from a Maize NADH:Nitrate Reductase Complementary DNA

A cDNA clone was isolated from a maize (Zea mays L. cv W64A×W183E) scutellum λgt11 library using maize leaf NADH:nitrate reductase Zmnr1 cDNA clone as a hybridization probe; it was designated Zmnr1S. Zmnr1S was shown to be an NADH:nitrate reductase clone by nucleotide sequencing and comparison of its deduced amino acid sequence to Zmnr1. Zmnr1S, which is 1.8 kilobases in length and contains the code for both the cytochrome b and flavin adenine dinucleotide domains of nitrate reductase, was cloned into the EcoRI site of the Escherichia coli expression vector pET5b and expressed. The cell lysate contained NADH:cytochrome c reductase activity, which is a characteristic partial activity of NADH:nitrate reductase dependent on the cytochrome b and flavin adenine dinucleotide domains. Recombinant cytochrome c reductase was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography on monoclonal antibody Zm2(69) Sepharose. The purified cytochrome c reductase, which had a major size of 43 kilodaltons, was inhibited by polyclonal antibodies for maize leaf NADH:nitrate reductase and bound these antibodies when blotted to nitrocellulose. Ultraviolet and visible spectra of oxidized and NADH-reduced recombinant cytochrome c reductase were nearly identical with those of maize leaf NADH:nitrate reductase. These two enzyme forms also had very similar kinetic properties with respect to NADH-dependent cytochrome c and ferricyanide reduction.     

Electron Transfer in the Dissimilatory Iron-reducing Bacterium Geobacter metallireducens

To investigate electron transport in the dissimilatory iron-reducing isolate Geobacter metallireducens strain GS-15, assays for redox enzymes and characterizations of cytochromes were performed. G. metallireducens produced 1.56 g dry cell weight per mol e⁻transferred when grown on benzoate and contained the following citric acid cycle enzymes (activities in nkat per mg cell protein); isocitrate dehydrogenase (0.84), coenzyme A-dependent 2-oxoglutarate: methyl viologen oxidoreductase (2.80), succinate dehydrogenase (0.80), and malate dehydrogenase (8.35). An oxygen-sensitive, soluble coenzyme A-dependent 2-oxoglutarate: ferredoxin oxidoreductase (0.14) with no NAD(P)-activity was observed. In cell suspensions NADPH, but not NADH, could reduce methyl viologen (2.45). Isocitrate and malate dehydrogenase activities were soluble enzymes that coupled with NADP and NAD, respectively. NADPH (0.94) and NADH (1.85) oxidation activities were observed in detergent solubilized, whole-cell suspensions using the artificial electron acceptor menadione. Menaquinone was observed at 1.2 μmol per g cell protein. The triheme c₇cytochrome was purified and 37 amino acids were determined. The mass observed by mass spectroscopy was 9684±10 Da. The average mid-point potential for the three hemes was measured at −91 mV. The growth yield, redox reactions, and electron transfer components are discussed with regards to possible sites of energy conservation during growth on iron(III).     

Inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport by hydrophilic metal chelators. Determination of dehydrogenase topography

The topography of the inner mitochondrial membrane was investigated using inhibitors of electron transport on preparations of beef heart mitochondria and electron transport particles of opposite orientation. Reductions of juglone, ferricyanide, indophenol, coenzyme Q, duroquinone, and cytochrome c by NADH are inhibited to different extents on both sides of the membrane by the impermeant hydrophilic chelators bathophenanthroline sulfonate and orthophenanthroline. The extent of inhibition for each acceptor increased in the order given. At least two chelator-sensitive sites are present on each membrane face between the flavoprotein and coenzyme Q and a chelator-sensitive site is present on the matrix face between the sites of coenzyme Q and duroquinone interaction. Duroquinol oxidation in mitochondria only is stimulated by bathophenanthroline sulfonate. Juglone reduction is stimulated in electron transport particles (only) by p-hydroxymercuribenzenesulfonate, but after mercurial treatment, juglone reduction in both particles and mitochondria is more sensitive to bathophenanthroline sulfonate.Succinate dehydrogenase components are inhibited by hydrophilic orthophenanthroline or bathophenanthroline sulfonate in mitochondria only. Electron flow between the dehydrogenases of succinate and NADH occurs via a chelator-sensitive site located on the matrix face of the membrane. Inter-complex electron flow is prevented by rotenone or thenoyltrifluoroacetone. The lack of succinate-indophenol reductase inhibition by bathophenanthroline sulfonate in the presence of rotenone or thenoyltrifluoroacetone indicates that the rotenone-sensitive site may be located on the matrix face and demonstrates that electrons flow between the NADH and succinate dehydrogenases via a hydrophilic chelator and rotenone-thenoyltrifluoroacetone-sensitive site on the matrix face of the membrane. Inhibition by hydrophilic chelators only in mitochondria indicates that succinate dehydrogenase as well as NADH dehydrogenase has a transmembranous orientation.     

A comparison of microbody membranes with microsomes and mitochondria from plant and animal tissue

Microbodies (peroxisomes and glyoxysomes), mitochondria, and microsomes from rat liver, dog kidney, spinach leaves sunflower cotyledons, and castor bean endosperm were isolated by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation. The microbody-limiting membrane and microsomes each contained NADH-cytochrome c reductase and had a similar phospholipid composition. NADH-cytochrome c reductase from plant and animal microbodies and microsomes was insensitive to antimycin A, which inhibited the activity in the mitochondrial fractions. The pH optima of cytochrome c reductase in plant microbodies and microsomes was 7.5–9.0, which was 2 pH units higher than the optima for the mitochondrial form of the enzyme. The activity in animal organelles exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6 and 9. Rat liver peroxisomes retained cytochrome c reductase activity, when diluted with water, KCl, or EDTA solutions and reisolated. Cytochrome c reductase activity of microbodies was lost upon disruption by digitonin or Triton X-100, but other peroxisomal enzymes of the matrix were not destroyed. The microbody fraction from each tissue also contained a small amount of NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase activity. Peroxisomes from spinach leaves were broken by osmotic shock and particles from rat liver by diluting in alkaline pyrophosphate. Upon recentrifugation liver peroxisomes yielded a core fraction containing urate oxidase at a sucrose gradient density of 1.23 g × cm⁻³, a membrane fraction at 1.17 g × cm⁻³ containing NADH-cytochrome c reductase, and soluble matrix enzymes at the top of the gradient.     

Purification and properties of human erythrocyte membrane NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase

An NADH:(acceptor) oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.99.3) of human erythrocyte membrane was purified by DEAE-cellulose anion exchange, hydroxyapatite adsorption, and 5′-ADP-hexane-agarose affinity chromatographies after solubilization with Triton X-100. The purified reductase preparation was homogeneous and estimated to have an apparent molecular weight of 36,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and of 144,000 on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration in the presence of 0.2% Triton X-100, whereas a soluble NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase of human erythrocyte had a molecular weight of 32,000 by both methods, indicating the existence of a distinct membrane reductase. Digestion of the membrane reductase with cathepsin D yielded a new polypeptide chain which gave the same relative mobility as the soluble reductase on SDS-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis. The membrane enzyme, the cathepsin-digested enzyme, and the soluble enzyme all cross-reacted with the antibody to rat liver microsomal NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase. The enzyme had one mole FAD per 36,000 as a prosthetic group and could reduce K₃Fe(CN)₆, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, cytochrome c, methemoglobin-ferrocyanide complex, cytochrome b₅ and methemoglobin via cytochrome b₅ when NADH was used as an electron donor. NADPH was less effective as an electron donor than NADH. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 790 μmol ferricyanide reduced min^?1 mg^?1 and the turnover number was 40,600 mol ferricyanide reduced min^?1 mol^?1 FAD at 25 °C. The apparent K_m values for NADH and cytochrome b₅ were 0.6 and 20 μm, respectively, and the apparent V value was 270 μmol cytochrome b₅ reduced min^?1 mg^?1. These kinetic properties were similar to those of the soluble NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase. The results indicate that the NADH:(acceptor) oxidoreductase of human erythrocyte membrane could be characterized as a membrane NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase.     

Oxidation of NADH in Glyoxysomes by a Malate-Aspartate Shuttle

Glyoxysomes isolated from germinating castor bean endosperm accumulate NADH by β-oxidation of fatty acids. By utilizing the glutamate: oxaloacetate aminotransferase and malate dehydrogenase present in glyoxysomes and mitochondria, reducing equivalents could be transferred between the organelles by a malate-aspartate shuttle. The addition of aspartate plus α-ketoglutarate to purified glyoxysomes brought about a rapid oxidation of accumulated NADH, and the oxidation was prevented by aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of aminotransferase activity. Citrate synthetase activity in purified glyoxysomes could be coupled readily to glutamate: oxaloacetate aminotransferase activity as a source of oxaloacetate, but coupling to malate dehydrogenase and malate resulted in low rates of citrate formation. Glyoxysomes purified in sucrose or Percoll gradients were permeable to low molecular weight compounds. No evidence was obtained for specific transport mechanisms for the proposed shuttle intermediates. The results support a revised model of gluconeogenic metabolism incorporating a malate-aspartate shuttle in the glyoxysomal pathway.     

An electron-transport system associated with the outer membrane of liver mitochondria. A biochemical and morphological study

Preparations of rat-liver mitochondria catalyze the oxidation of exogenous NADH by added cytochrome c or ferricyanide by a reaction that is insensitive to the respiratory chain inhibitors, antimycin A, amytal, and rotenone, and is not coupled to phosphorylation. Experiments with tritiated NADH are described which demonstrate that this "external" pathway of NADH oxidation resembles stereochemically the NADH-cytochrome c reductase system of liver microsomes, and differs from the respiratory chain-linked NADH dehydrogenase. Enzyme distributation data are presented which substantiate the conclusion that microsomal contamination cannot account for the rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity observed with the mitochondria. A procedure is developed, based on swelling and shrinking of the mitochondria followed by sonication and density gradient centrifugation, which permits the separation of two particulate subfractions, one containing the bulk of the respiratory chain components, and the other the bulk of the rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase system. Morphological evidence supports the conclusion that the former subfraction consists of mitochondria devoid of outer membrane, and that the latter represents derivatives of the outer membrane. The data indicate that the electron-transport system associated with the mitochondrial outer membrane involves catalytic components similar to, or identical with, the microsomal NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase and cytochrome b₅.