Oxidative phosphorylation properties of mitochondria isolated from transplanted hepatoma

Mitochondria were isolated from Morris hepatomas with rapid (types 3683, 7777, and 3924A) and intermediate (types 5123D and 7800) growth rates, using proteolytic digestion of minced tumor tissue to release the particles. Mitochondria isolated by the same procedure from rat liver were employed as controls. All the hepatoma mitochondria were capable of coupled respiration with normal phosphorylation yields (ADP/O) and respiratory control ratios ranging from 2 to considerably more than 10. Particles from hepatomas 7777 and 7800 exhibited properties closest to liver mitochondria, while those from hepatomas 3683 and 3924A showed the greatest difference. All the hepatoma mitochondria were capable of oxidizing succinate, 3-hydroxybutyrate and monoamines. However, the oxidation rates of the latter two substrates by mitochondria from hepatomas 3683 and 3924A were only a fraction of the control rates. These differences appeared to be due, at least in part, to the structural instability of the isolated hepatoma mitochondria. In contrast to the reports of others, all hepatoma mitochondria exhibited considerable stimulation of ATPase activity by uncouplers. Maximal stimulation of ATPase activity by representatives of three classes of uncouplers was in all instances comparable to the values obtained for rat liver mitochondria.     

Oxidative phosphorylation in yeast VIII. Osmotic and permeability properties of mitochondria isolated from wild-type yeast and from a respiration-deficient mutant

1. Close similarities between yeast and mammalian mitochondria were found with respect to (a) osmotic response in impermeable solutes, sorbitol and KCl, (b) substrate translocation, (c) properties of the adenine nucleotide translocation system. A separate transport system for succinate, distinct from the dicarboxylate translocator, may be present in yeast mitochondria.

2. Substrate translocation was found to be preserved in pro-mitochondria from anaerobically-grown cells and in mitochondria from a respiration-deficient mutant. Adenine nucleotide translocation was demonstrated not to be affected by the cytoplasmic mutation. Along with previous data of other investigators, these results allow a general conclusion that neither the presence of a functional respiratory chain nor mitochondrial protein synthesis are prerequisite for the proper assemblage of the translocation systems in the mitochondrial membrane and for determining its permeability characteristics.     

Oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria isolated from small intestinal epithelium of thiamphenicol-treated rats and control rats

Treatment of rats with thiamphenicol in a dose of 125 mg/kg per day for 60–64 h causes specific inhibition of mitochondrial protein synthesis, leading to a drastic decrease of the cytochrome c oxidase activity in intestinal epithelium. At the same time the mitochondrial ATPase activity becomes resistant to inhibition by oligomycin. Experiments with isolated intestinal mitochondria revealed that respiration in state 3 is diminished by 55% with succinate (5 mM) and by 40% with pyruvate (10 mM) plus L-malate (2 mM) as the substrates, both as compared to intestinal mitochondria isolated from control rats. P : O ratios as well as respiratory control indices are comparable in the two groups of animals. Uncoupled respiration is inhibited by 35% with succinate as the substrate, while the succinate cytochrome c reductase activity remains unaltered. No inhibition of uncoupled respiration with pyruvate plus L-malate as the substrates was observed. The ATP-P_i exchange activity in the mitochondria from the treated animals is diminished by about 75%. It is concluded that in the mitochondria of the treated animals the inhibition of the coupled respiration (state 3) is caused by the limitation of the ATP-generating capacity and that electron transport is rate limiting only with the rapidly oxidized substrates such as succinate, if respiration is uncoupled.     

Oxidative phosphorylation by mitochondria extracted from dry sunflower seeds

The role of mitochondria in the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP in the early steps of seed germination has been studied. Mitochondria were extracted from dry sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds. Adenylate kinase-dependent ATP synthesis was inhibited by p¹,p⁵-di(adenosine-5′)pentaphosphate. Synthesis of ATP was observed with the different substrates: citrate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, malate, pyruvate or NADH. This synthesis was activated by cytochrome c, and inhibited by cyanide, oligomycin, carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone, and carboxyatractyloside. The ATP/O values with succinate were 0.85 and 1.2 in the absence or presence, respectively, of cytochrome c. Electron micrographs showed that mitochondria of dry tissues have different structures when observed in situ or in vitro after aqueous extraction, suggesting that profound changes occurred after the contact with the aqueous medium. These results confirm previous data obtained in vivo showing that mitochondria present in dry seeds are able to synthesize ATP as soon as the seeds are rehydrated.     

Oxidative phosphorylation during glycollate metabolism in mitochondria from phototrophic Euglena gracilis.

Mitochondria were isolated by gradient centrifugation on linear sucrose gradients from broken cell suspensions of phototrophically grown Euglena gracilis. An antimycin A-sensitive but rotenone-insensitive glycollate-dependent oxygen uptake was demonstrated in isolated mitochondria. The partial reactions of glycollate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase were demonstrated by using Euglena cytochrome c as exogenous electron acceptor/donor. Isolated mitochondria contain glycollate dehydrogenase and glyoxylate-glutamate aminotransferase and oxidize exogenous glycine. A P:O ratio of 1.7 was obtained for glycollate oxidation, consistent with glycollate electrons entering the Euglena respiratory chain at the flavoprotein level. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to photorespiration in algae.     

Oxidative phosphorylation in nuclei isolated from rat thymus

1. Nuclei were isolated from rat thymus in 0.25 M sucrose-3 mM CaCl₂. Fractionation of thymus tissue showed that the nuclear fraction could be contaminated with 10% intact cells at the most.

2. The nuclear fraction contained about 50% of the cellular ATP. Under anaerobic conditions nuclear ATP is degraded. When, after an anaerobic incubation, the nuclei are incubated under aerobic conditions endogenous nuclear ATP is resynthesized. The amount of ATP found cannot be accounted for by mitochondria or intact cells. It could also be shown that the ATP synthesis is not due to such contamination.

3. Nuclear ATP synthesis and respiration were inhibited by amytal, rotenone, and carbon monoxide. The latter inhibition was reversed by light. 2,4-Dinitrophenol abolished ATP synthesis and accelerated respiration. Oligomycin inhibited respiration and phosphorylation. The inhibition of respiration by oligomycin could be released by dinitrophenol. ATP synthesis was also inhibited by lewisite. This inhibition could be reversed by BAL. No inhibition, however, was found with arsenite or arsenite + BAL.

4. A P:O ratio between 0.6 and 1.0 was obtained for nuclear phosphorylation. This must be considered as a minimal value.

5. It is concluded that thymus nuclei are capable of respiratory-chain-linked oxidative phosphorylation.