Metabolism of propionate by sheep-liver mitochondria: Effects of α-oxoglutarate, adenosine triphosphate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride

1. A study has been made of the effects of ATP and alpha-oxoglutarate on the rate of metabolism of propionate by whole mitochondria from sheep liver, and by mitochondria disrupted with ultrasonic energy or by freezing and thawing. Whole mitochondria metabolized propionate aerobically; the rate was increased and stabilized by 0.5mm-ATP, and increased at least a further 50% by 1.67mm-alpha-oxoglutarate. 2. Anaerobically, externally added ATP at high concentrations permitted slow consumption of propionate. 3. In the presence of 1.3mm-ATP, but in the absence of alpha-oxoglutarate, there was no significant lag phase in the removal of propionate by whole mitochondria, and the rate declined at concentrations below 2mm. In the additional presence of 1.67mm-alpha-oxoglutarate or -glutamate, propionate was removed at linear rates until the residual propionate concentration was about 0.1mm. 4. Maximum rates of metabolism of propionate by whole mitochondria with 1.3mm-ATP occurred with alkali-metal chloride concentrations of 65-95mm and with K(+)/Na(+) ratios 5-10, both in the presence and absence of alpha-oxoglutarate. 5. With disrupted mitochondria stimulatory effects of alpha-oxoglutarate were obtained only aerobically, only with propionate and not propionyl-CoA as substrate, and only when sufficient mitochondrial structure remained to permit unsupplemented metabolism of propionate to occur. 6. In the presence of ATP and CoA, disrupted mitochondria fixed [2-(14)C]propionate at a rate adequate to explain the rate with whole mitochondria stimulated with ATP and alpha-oxoglutarate. 7. With both whole and partially disrupted mitochondria in the absence of ATP, the rate of metabolism of propionate was inhibited by about 80% by 3.3mm-AMP. The inhibition was partly overcome by alpha-oxoglutarate plus CoA. 8. It is concluded that the ultimate effect of alpha-oxoglutarate was to increase the rate of supply of ATP within the mitochondria. Reasons are given why it is premature to conclude that the extra ATP arose entirely from the oxidation of alpha-oxoglutarate itself.     

Metabolism of propionate by sheep liver. Oxidation of propionate by homogenates

1. The rate and stability to aging of the metabolism of propionate by sheep-liver slices and sucrose homogenates were examined. Aging for up to 20min. at 37° in the absence of added substrate had little effect with slices, whole homogenates or homogenates without the nuclear fraction. 2. Metabolism of propionate by sucrose homogenates was confined to the mitochondrial fraction, but the mitochondrial supernatant (microsomes plus cell sap) stimulated propionate removal. 3. The rate of propionate metabolism by liver slices was higher in a high potassium phosphate–bicarbonate medium [0·88(±s.e.m. 0·16)μmole/mg. of N/hr.] than in Krebs–Ringer bicarbonate medium [0·44(±s.e.m. 0·13)μmole/mg. of N/hr.]. 4. Metabolism of propionate by sucrose homogenates freed from nuclei was dependent on the presence of oxygen, carbon dioxide and ATP. Propionate removal was stimulated 250% by Mg²⁺ ions and 670% by cytochrome c. 5. In the complete medium 2·39(±s.e.m. 0·15)μmoles of propionate were consumed/mg. of N/hr. 6. The ratio of oxygen consumption to propionate utilization was sufficient to account for the complete oxidation of half the propionate consumed. 7. The only products detected under these conditions were succinate, fumarate and malate. Propionate had no effect on the production of lactate from endogenous sources and did not itself give rise to lactate. 8. Methylmalonate did not accumulate when propionate was metabolized and was not oxidized. It was detected as an intermediate in the conversion of propionyl-CoA into succinate. The rate of this reaction sequence was adequate to account for the rate of propionate metabolism by sucrose homogenates or slices, provided that the rate of formation of propionyl-CoA was not limiting. 9. The methylmalonate pathway was predominantly a mitochondrial function. 10. The metabolism of propionate appeared to be dependent on active oxidative phosphorylation.     

Growth of Syntrophic Propionate-Oxidizing Bacteria with Fumarate in the Absence of Methanogenic Bacteria

Oxidation of succinate to fumarate is an energetically difficult step in the biochemical pathway of propionate oxidation by syntrophic methanogenic cultures. Therefore, the effect of fumarate on propionate oxidation by two different propionate-oxidizing cultures was investigated. When the methanogens in a newly enriched propionate-oxidizing methanogenic culture were inhibited by bromoethanesulfonate, fumarate could act as an apparent terminal electron acceptor in propionate oxidation. ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance experiments showed that propionate was carboxylated to succinate while fumarate was partly oxidized to acetate and partly reduced to succinate. Fumarate alone was fermented to succinate and CO₂. Bacteria growing on fumarate were enriched and obtained free of methanogens. Propionate was metabolized by these bacteria when either fumarate or Methanospirillum hungatii was added. In cocultures with Syntrophobacter wolinii, such effects were not observed upon addition of fumarate. Possible slow growth of S. wolinii on fumarate could not be demonstrated because of the presence of a Desulfovibrio strain which grew rapidly on fumarate in both the absence and presence of sulfate.     

Regulation of gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis. The regulation of mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism in guinea-pig liver synthesizing precursors for gluconeogenesis

1. The carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate by pyruvate carboxylase in guinea-pig liver mitochondria was determined by measuring the amount of (14)C from H(14)CO(3) (-) fixed into organic acids in the presence of pyruvate, ATP, Mg(2+) and P(i). The main products of pyruvate carboxylation were malate, fumarate and citrate. Pyruvate utilization, metabolite formation and incorporation of (14)C from H(14)CO(3) (-) into these metabolites in the presence and the absence of ATP were examined. The synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate from pyruvate and bicarbonate is minimal during continued oxidation of pyruvate. Larger amounts of phosphoenolpyruvate are formed from alpha-oxoglutarate than from pyruvate. Addition of glutamate, alpha-oxoglutarate or fumarate did not appreciably increase formation of phosphoenolpyruvate when pyruvate was used as substrate. With alpha-oxoglutarate as substrate addition of fumarate resulted in increased formation of phosphoenolpyruvate, whereas addition of succinate inhibited phosphoenolpyruvate formation. In the presence of added oxaloacetate guinea-pig liver mitochondria synthesized phosphoenolpyruvate in amount sufficiently high to play an appreciable role in gluconeogenesis. 2. Addition of fatty acids of increasing carbon chain length caused a strong inhibition of pyruvate oxidation and phosphoenolpyruvate formation, and greatly promoted carbon dioxide fixation and malate, citrate and acetoacetate accumulation. The incorporation of (14)C from H(14)CO(3) (-), [1-(14)C]pyruvate and [2-(14)C]pyruvate into organic acids formed was examined. 3. It is concluded that guinea-pig liver pyruvate carboxylase contributes significantly to gluconeogenesis and that fatty acids and metabolites play an important role in its regulation.     

Metabolism of Aspartate by Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii: Effect on Lactate Fermentation

More than 90% of the aspartate in a defined medium was metabolized after lactate exhaustion such that 3 mol of aspartate and 1 mol of propionate were converted to 3 mol of succinate, 3 mol of ammonia, 1 mol of acetate, and 1 mol of CO₂. This pathway was also evident when propionate and aspartate were the substrates in complex medium in the absence of lactate. In complex medium with lactate present, about 70% of the aspartate was metabolized to succinate and ammonia during lactate fermentation, and as a consequence of aspartate metabolism, more lactate was fermented to acetate and CO₂ than was fermented to propionate. The conversion of aspartate to fumarate and ammonia by the enzyme aspartase and subsequent reduction of fumarate to succinate occurred in the five strains of Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii studied. The ability to metabolize aspartate in the presence of lactate appeared to be related to aspartase activity. The specific activity of aspartase increased during and after lactate utilization, and the levels of this enzyme were lower in cells grown in defined medium than levels in those cells grown in complex medium. Under the conditions used, no other amino acids were readily metabolized in the presence of lactate. The possibility that aspartate metabolism by propionibacteria in Swiss cheese has an influence on CO₂ production is discussed.     

The Interaction between Exogenous NADH Oxidase and Succinate Oxidase in Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) Mitochondria

Most isolated plant mitochondria oxidize exogenous NADH viaan electron transport pathway which is resistant to piericidinA and coupled to the synthesis of two molecules of ATP. Resultspresented show that succinate can inhibit this oxidation ofadded NADH. The inhibition was most marked in the absence ofADP (state 4), less obvious in the presence of added ADP (state3), and absent in the presence of a weak acid uncoupling agent.The presence of malonate prevented the inhibition. The degreeof inhibition was dependent on the concentration of succinateand appeared to be non-competitive in nature. The inhibitionwas shown not to be the result of the reversed flow of electronsfrom succinate to NAD^$. The presence of external NADH appearednot to alter the rate of oxidation of succinate.     

Investigation of the fumarate metabolism of the syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacterium strain MPOB

The growth of the syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacterium strain MPOB in pure culture by fumarate disproportionation into carbon dioxide and succinate and by fumarate reduction with propionate, formate or hydrogen as electron donor was studied. The highest growth yield, 12.2 g dry cells/mol fumarate, was observed for growth by fumarate disproportionation. In the presence of hydrogen, formate or propionate, the growth yield was more than twice as low: 4.8, 4.6, and 5.2 g dry cells/mol fumarate, respectively. The location of enzymes that are involved in the electron transport chain during fumarate reduction in strain MPOB was analyzed. Fumarate reductase, succinate dehydrogenase, and ATPase were membrane-bound, while formate dehydrogenase and hydrogenase were loosely attached to the periplasmic side of the membrane. The cells contained cytochrome c, cytochrome b, menaquinone-6 and menaquinone-7 as possible electron carriers. Fumarate reduction with hydrogen in membranes of strain MPOB was inhibited by 2-(heptyl)-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HOQNO). This inhibition, together with the activity of fumarate reductase with reduced 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-naphtoquinone (DMNH₂) and the observation that cytochrome b of strain MPOB was oxidized by fumarate, suggested that menequinone and cytochrome b are involved in the electron transport during fumarate reduction in strain MPOB. The growth yields of fumarate reduction with hydrogen or formate as electron donor were similar to the growth yield of Wolinella succinogenes. Therefore, it can be assumed that strain MPOB gains the same amount of ATP from fumarate reduction as W. succinogenes, i.e. 0.7 mol ATP/mol fumarate. This value supports the hypothesis that syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacteria have to invest two-thirds of an ATP via reversed electron transport in the succinate oxidation step during the oxidation of propionate. The same electron transport chain that is involved in fumarate reduction may operate in the reversed direction to drive the energetically unfavourable oxidation of succinate during syntrophic propionate oxidation since (1) cytochrome b was reduced by succinate and (2) succinate oxidation was similarly inhibited by HOQNO as fumarate reduction. Received: 18 March 1997 / Accepted: 10 November 1997     

Interactions of acetate, propionate and butyrate in sheep liver mitochondria

1. Interactions in the rates of consumption of acetate, propionate and butyrate in sheep liver mitochondria were examined in the presence and absence of l-malate and alpha-oxoglutarate. 2. Acetate was not consumed in absence of ancillary substrate but utilization of acetate (7.2nmol/min per mg of protein) occurred in the presence of alpha-oxoglutarate. This consumption was abolished by propionate or butyrate but the presence of acetate did not affect consumption of propionate or butyrate. 3. Propionate consumption (10.1nmol/min per mg of protein) was unaffected by malate but was stimulated by 63% by butyrate or by 180% by alpha-oxoglutarate. 4. Butyrate consumption (3.3nmol/min per mg of protein) was stimulated by 117% by malate, by 151% by propionate and by 310% by alpha-oxoglutarate. 5. In the absence of ancillary substrates the maximum rate of total volatile fatty acid utilization (24.7nmol/min per mg of protein) occurred with a mixture of propionate and butyrate. When both propionate and butyrate were present total consumption was not affected by malate but was stimulated by 24% by alpha-oxoglutarate. With alpha-oxoglutarate present, propionate and butyrate each decreased the other's consumption by about 26%, but the total utilization was the greatest observed. 6. The inhibition of acetate consumption by propionate or butyrate is unexplained, but the remaining effects are consistent with an interaction of propionate and butyrate through oxaloacetate together with a general limitation imposed by a need for GTP to rephosphorylate AMP formed during activation of the volatile fatty acids.     

Synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate from propionate in sheep liver

1. Utilization of propionate by sheep liver mitochondria was stimulated equally by pyruvate or alpha-oxoglutarate, with formation predominantly of malate. Pyruvate increased conversion of propionate carbon into citrate, whereas alpha-oxoglutarate increased formation of phosphoenolpyruvate. The fraction of metabolized propionate converted into phosphoenolpyruvate was about 17% in the presence or absence of alpha-oxoglutarate and about 7% in the presence of pyruvate. Pyruvate consumption was inhibited by 80% by 5mm-propionate. 2. Compared with rat liver, sheep liver was characterized by very high activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and moderately high activities of aconitase in the mitochondria and by low activities of ;malic' enzyme, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in the cytosol. Activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy-kinase were similar in liver cytosol from rats and sheep. Activities of malate dehydrogenase and NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase in sheep liver were about half those in rat liver. 3. The phosphate-dicarboxylate antiport was active in sheep liver mitochondria, but compared with rat liver mitochondria the citrate-malate antiport showed only low activity and mitochondrial aconitase was relatively inaccessible to external citrate. The rate of swelling of mitochondria induced by phosphate in solutions of ammonium malate was inversely related to the concentration of malate. 4. The results are discussed in relation to gluconeogenesis from propionate in sheep liver. It is proposed that propionate is converted into malate by the mitochondria and the malate is converted into phosphoenolpyruvate by enzymes in the cytosol. In this way sufficient NADH would be generated in the cytosol to convert the phosphoenolpyruvate into glucose.     

Control of isocitrate lyase in Nocardia salmonicolor (NCIB9701).

Nocardia salmonicolor, grown on acetate, commercial D,L-lactate or hydrocarbon substrates, has high isocitrate lyase activities compared with those resulting from growth on other carbon sources. This presumably reflects the anaplerotic role of the glyoxylate cycle during growth on the former substrates. Amongst a variety of compounds tested, including glucose, pyruvate and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, only succinate and fumarate prevented an increase in enzyme activity in the presence of acetate. When acetate (equimolar to the initial sugar concentration) was added to cultures growing on glucose, there followed de novo synthesis of isocitrated lyase and isocitrate dehydrogenase, with increases in growth rate and glucose utilization, and both acetate and glucose were metabolized simultaneously. A minute amount of acetate (40 muM) caused isocitrate lyase synthesis (a three-fold increase in activity within 3 min of addition) when added to glucose-limited continuous cultures, but even large amounts added to nitrogen-limited batch cultures were ineffective. Malonate, at a concentration that was not totally growth-inhibitory (1mM) prevented the inhibition of acetate-stimulated isocitrate lyase synthesis by succinate, but fumarate still inhibited in the presence of malonate. Phosphoenolpyruvate is a non-competitive inhibitor of the enzyme (apparent Ki 1-7 mM). The results are consistent with the induction of isocitrate or a closely related metabolite, and catabolite repression by a C-4 acid of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, possibly fumarate.     

Succinate oxidase in Neurospora

Two kinetically distinct states of succinate oxidase have been detected in the mitochondria of Neruospora crassa. One state has a K(m) for succinate of 4.1 x 10(-3)m, and the other has a K(m) for succinate of 3.5 x 10(-4)m. The high K(m) state was found in freshly extracted mitochondria from either 20- or 72-hr mycelium. However, the succinate oxidase activity in mitochondria from 20-hr mycelium rapidly deteriorated in vitro, leaving a stable residual activity with the lower K(m) for succinate. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) plus Mg(2+) stabilized the high K(m) state in these preparations. The high K(m) state of succinate oxidase was further characterized by a two- to threefold increase in activity over the pH range 6.6 to 8.0 and by classical competitive inhibition by fumarate and malonate. By contrast, the low K(m) state of succinate oxidase showed a relatively flat response to pH over the range 6.6 to 8.0 and a nonclassical pattern of inhibition by fumarate and malonate, as shown by nonlinear plots of reciprocal velocity versus reciprocal substrate concentration in the presence of inhibitor or reciprocal velocity versus inhibitor concentration at fixed substrate concentrations. The relationship of mycelial age to the in vitro stability of succinate oxidase is considered with reference to probable changes in the relative pool sizes of extra- and intramitochondrial ATP in response to changes in the rate of glycolysis.     

Mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide formation and the fumarate reductase of Hymenolepis diminuta

The catalysis of hydrogen peroxide accumulation by the mitochondrial, membrane-associated NADH oxidase and less active succinoxidase of adult Hymenolepis diminuta was confirmed. NADH-dependent peroxide formation by isolated mitochondrial membranes occurred at about half the coincident rates of NADH and oxygen utilization, whereas succinate-dependent peroxide formation accounted for approximately 40% of the oxygen consumed. These findings, coupled with evaluations of the oxidases, indicated that both systems use in common 2 mechanisms for oxygen reduction, 1 of which is peroxide-forming. Neither system was sensitive to cyanide, azide, or antimycin A. Rotenone inhibition of NADH oxidation resulted in equivalent decreases in oxygen consumption by the peroxide-forming and nonperoxide-forming mechanisms. In contrast, malonate inhibition occurred via disruption of the peroxide-forming mechanism. Fumarate stimulated membrane-catalyzed NADH oxidation, despite aerobic conditions, and this fumarate reductase was rotenone-sensitive. NADH- or succinate-dependent peroxide formation virtually was abolished and oxygen consumption was minimal in the presence of fumarate. Malonate also inhibited fumarate-dependent NADH oxidation and succinate-dependent peroxide formation/oxygen consumption. Collectively, these findings clearly indicate that NADH- or succinate-dependent hydrogen peroxide accumulation involves the malonate-sensitive fumarate reductase, in the absence of fumarate. A model of the H. diminuta electron transport system is presented.     

Glutamate metabolism triggered by oxaloacetate in intact plant mitochondria

In Percoll-purified potato tuber mitochondria, glutamate metabolism can be triggered by oxaloacetate, in the presence of ADP and thiamine pyrophosphate. There is a lag phase before O₂ uptake is initiated. During this lag period, oxaloacetate is rapidly converted into α-ketoglutarate and succinate, or into malate at the expense of the NADH generated by α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. The ratio of the flux rates of both pathways is strongly dependent on the glutamate concentration in the medium. When all the oxaloacetate is consumed, a rapid O₂ uptake is initiated. The effects of malonate on glutamate metabolism triggered by oxaloacetate and on α-ketoglutarate oxidation are reported. It is concluded that the inhibition of the succinate dehydrogenase by either malonate or oxaloacetate does not affect the rate of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase functioning. All the metabolites accumulated are excreted by the mitochondria in the supernatant. Some of them are then reabsorbed. These results emphasize the importance of the anion carriers in the overall process.     

Oxaloacetate inhibition of succinate oxidation in tightly coupled liver mitochondria with ferricyanide as an electron acceptor

When ferricyanide is used as an artificial electron acceptor, succinate oxidation by tightly coupled liver mitochondria becomes inhibited after 1–3 min. No inhibition occurs in the presence of rotenone or glutamate establishing that oxaloacetate causes the inhibtion. Oxygen consumption by mitochondria oxidizing succinate does not become inhibited in the absence of rotenone suggesting that oxaloacetate accumulates to a greater extent when ferricyanide is added than when oxygen is the terminal acceptor. Higher levels of oxaloacetate in the ferricyanide reaction are apparently due to an increased rate of synthesis rather than a decreased rate of removal. Thus it appears that when succinate is the substrate and oxygen the terminal acceptor a control mechanism exists which blocks oxidation of malate. When ferricyanide is added as an artificial electron acceptor this control is lost and oxaloacetate accumulates to inhibit succinate oxidation.     

Redox potentials and kinetic properties of fumarate reductase complex from Vibrio succinogenes

The isolated menaquinol: fumarate oxidoreductase (fumarate reductase complex) from Vibrio succinogenes was investigated with respect to the redox potentials and the kinetic response of the prosthetic groups. The following results were obtained. (1) The redox state of the components was measured as a function of the redox potential established by the fumarate/succinate couple, after freezing of the samples (173 K). From these measurements, the midpoint potential of the [2Fe-2S] cluster (−59 mV), the [4Fe-4S] cluster (−24 mV) and the flavin/flavosemiquinone couple (about −20 mV) was obtained. (2) Potentiometric titration of the enzyme in the presence of electron-mediating chemicals gave, after freezing, apparent midpoint potentials that were 30–100 mV more negative than those found with the fumarate/succinate couple. (3) The rate constants of reduction of the components on the addition of succinate or 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinol were as great as or greater than the corresponding turnover numbers of the enzyme in quinone reduction by succinate or fumarate reduction by the quinol. In the oxidation of the reduced enzyme by fumarate, cytochrome b oxidation was about as fast as the corresponding turnover number of quinol oxidation by fumarate, while the [2Fe-2S] and half of the [4Fe-4S] cluster responded more than 2-times slower. The rate constant of the other half of the 4-Fe cluster was one order of magnitude smaller than the turnover number.     

The effect of metabolites of the propionate pathway on the oxidative activity of liver mitochondria

Methylmalonate and propionate, the major metabolites of the propionate pathway of fatty and amino acid metabolism used at 1-4 mM cause selective inhibition of succinate and palmitoyl carnitine oxidation in liver mitochondria. Methylmalonate is more specific towards succinate, whereas propionate--towards palmitoyl carnitine oxidation. Methylmalonate is transported to mitochondria at a high rate with no effect on succinate transport. Being injected intramusculary methylmalonate has no inhibiting effect on the oxidative activity of mitochondria but is able to activate succinate and palmitoyl carnitine oxidation. The inhibiting effect of propionate on palmitoyl carnitine oxidation is a long-term one. Injections of these metabolites precursors, isoleucine, methionine and valine, produce an activating effect on succinate oxidation. Thus, propionate pathway metabolites may participate in the regulation of lipid-carbohydrate metabolism.     

Effect of substrates on the malonate inhibitory pattern and brefeldin a formation inCurvularia lunata

The extracellular level of brefeldin A fluctuates with the length of malonate inhibition. Following treatment with malonate, myeelial multiplication as opposed to brefeldin A formation, was preferentially increased in the maleate, fumarate, succinate, citrate, methyl palmitate and glucose replacement cultures. Competitive maleate-malonate, fumarate — malonate, succinate — malonate and citrate-mal-onate-inhibited replacement cultures gave significantly higher mycelial and brefeldin A yields than the sole malonate-inhibited replacement cultures.     

On the effects of propionate and other short-chain fatty acids on sodium transport by the toad bladder.

1. Propionate and other unbranched short-chain fatty acids, butyrate, pentanoate, hexanoate and octanoate were found to both stimulate and inhibit active sodium transport by the toad bladder, as measured by the short-circuit current (s.c.c.). 2. Stimulation alone followed addition of low concentrations of fatty acids (0.1-1.0 mM) to either the serosal or mucosal bathing medium; stimulation was also seen after an initial period of inhibition in response to higher concentrations (approx. 5 mM) of some compounds. 3. Inhibition alone followed addition of high concentrations (5-20 mM) of these compounds. The duration and magnitude of the inhibition varied with increasing concentration and chain length of the fatty acid, and was greater following mucosal addition than serosal addition. 4. The inhibitory effect of mucosal propionate increased with decreasing pH of the mucosal bathing medium. 5. Inhibition by the fatty acids was completely reversed upon removing the compound from the bathing medium, and stimulation characteristically followed. 6. In studies designed to evaluate the role of metabolism of the fatty acids in their mucosal inhibitory effects it was found that 14-c-labelled propionate, when added to the mucosal surface of the bladder, was converted to 14-CO2, and mucosal succinate and alpha-oxoglutaric acid at 20 mM inhibited the s.c.c. slightly. However, malonate did not interfere with inhibition by mucosal propionate and two non-metabolizable acids, dimethylpropionate and benzoate, induced inhibition (and no stimulation) of the s.c.c. 7. In the presence of an inhibitory concentration of fatty acid, the ability of the bladder to respond to added pyruvate was reduced in proportion to the reduction in the level of the s.c.c., whereas the natriferic response to vasopressin was largely intact. 8. We conclude that stimulation of sodium transport by propionate and other short-chain fatty acids is due to metabolism of the compounds and provision of energy to the sodium transport mechanism. The basis of the inhibition appears complex. It may in part depend on metabolism of the fatty acids and/or uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, with resultant reduction in net ATP production for the sodium transport mechanism. However, the inhibition may also be caused in part by a direct effect on the mucosal entry of sodium into the transporting epithelial cells.     

Dissociation constants of succinate dehydrogenase complexes with succinate, fumarate and malonate

The rates of the oxidized (Eox) and reduced (Ered) (by NAD . H through the ubiquinone pool) succinate dehydrogenase inhibition by N-ethyl-maleimide are equal and obey pseudo-first order kinetics. The protection of the enzyme against irreversible alkylation was used to quantitate the dissociation constants for Eox and Ered complexes with fumarate, succinate and malonate under conditions when no intramolecular redox reactions might occur. the membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes the succinate : phenazine-methosulphate reductase reaction in the presence of thenoyltrifluoroacetone by a Slater-Bonner mechanism. A comparison of the constants measured by the protection with those derived from the steady-state kinetics shows that succinate affinity for Eox is about 10 times higher than that for Ered; the reverse relations were found for fumarate, whereas the affinity for malonate only slightly depends on the redox state of the enzyme. The data obtained suggest that the dicarboxylate binding at the active site induces changes in the enzyme redox potential. The surface charge does not contribute significantly to the energy of the dicarboxylate binding to the active site of the membrane-bound enzyme.     

The Respiratory Chain of Plant Mitochondria: XI. Electron Transport from Succinate to Endogenous Pyridine Nucleotide in Mung Bean Mitochondria

Energy-linked reverse electron transport from succinate to endogenous NAD in tightly coupled mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) mitochondria may be driven by ATP if the two terminal oxidases of these mitochondria are inhibited, or may be driven by the free energy of succinate oxidation. This reaction is specific to the first site of energy conservation of the respiratory chain; it does not occur in the presence of uncoupler. If mung bean mitochondria become anaerobic during oxidation of succinate, their endogenous NAD becomes reduced in the presence of uncoupler, provided that both inorganic phosphate (P_i) and ATP are present. No reduction occurs in the absence of P_i, even in the presence of ATP added to provide a high phosphate potential. If fluorooxaloacetate is present in the uncoupled, aerobic steady state, no reduction of endogenous NAD occurs on anaerobiosis; this compound is an inhibitor of malate dehydrogenase. This result implies that endogenous NAD is reduced by malate formed from the fumarate generated during succinate oxidation. The source of free energy is most probably the endogenous energy stores in the form of acetyl CoA, or intermediates convertible to acetyl CoA, which removes the oxaloacetate formed from malate, thus driving the reaction towards reduction of NAD.