Nature of the activation of succinate dehydrogenase by various effectors and in hypobaria and hypoxia

1. Hepatic mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (succinate:(acceptor)oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.99.1) was activated by preincubation of mitochondria with four diverse classes of compounds, the dicarboxylic acids, nitrophenols, quinols (and ubiquinols) and pyrophosphates. Of the various compounds tested malonate, oxaloacetate and pyrophosphate, well-known competitive inhibitors of the enzyme, and also hydroquinone and ubiquinols were effective even at low concentrations and showed maximal stimulation in 2 min.2. Activation of succinate dehydrogenase by ubiquinol-9 and ubiquinol-10 was comparable to succinate activation in fresh mitochondria, and was much higher in the aged samples.3. Preincubation of mitochondria with succinate, 2,4-dinitrophenol, pyrophosphate and ATP also stimulated the succinate-2,2′,5,5′-tetraphenyl-3,3′-(4,4′-biphenylene) ditetrazolium chloride (NT) reductase activity, whereas malonate, hydroquinone and ubiquinol-9 were ineffective. A differential activation of the flavoprotein by the oxidized and reduced forms of ubiquinone-9 was observed, the former stimulating the reduction of NT and the latter of phenazine methosulphate-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol.4. Repeated washing of the activated mitochondrial samples with the sucrose homogenizing medium, partially reversed the activation by effectors other than succinate. Further washing of the activated preparations after a second preincubation with succinate reverted the enzyme activity to the basal level in the case of malonate, ATP and pyrophosphate but not that of hydroquinone and ubiquinol-9.5. Increase in the activity of hepatic mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, but not of succinate-NT reductase, known to occur in rats exposed to hypobaria was also observed in hypoxia indicating that it is an effect of lowered O₂ tension. The enzyme activity in these “partially activated” preparations was stable to washing with the sucrose homogenizing medium and could be fully activated to the same level as in the controls showing thereby the qualitative nature of the change. On washing these succinate-activated preparations further with the medium, the “hypobaric activation” was not reversed to the basal level, whereas the “hypoxic activation” was reversed. These results suggest that the effectors responsible for the activation of succinate dehydrogenase under hypobaric and hypoxic conditions are probably different; the former may be of the ubiquinol type and the latter of the malonate type.     

Interactions of oxaloacetate with Escherichia coli fumarate reductase

Fumarate reductase of Escherichia coli is converted to a deactivated state when tightly bound by oxaloacetate (OAA). Incubation of the inhibited enzyme with anions or reduction of the enzyme by substrate restores both the activity of the enzyme and its sensitivity to thiol reagents. In these respects the enzyme behaves like cardiac succinate dehydrogenase. Close to an order of magnitude difference was found to exist between the affinities of OAA for the oxidized (KD approximately 0.12 microM) and reduced (KD approximately 0.9 microM) forms of fumarate reductase. Redox titrations of deactivated fumarate reductase preparations have confirmed that reductive activation, as in cardiac succinate dehydrogenase (B. A. C. Ackrell, E. B. Kearney, and D. Edmondson (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 7114-7119), is the result of reduction of the covalently bound FAD moiety and not the non-heme iron clusters of the enzyme. However, the processes differed for the two enzymes; activation of fumarate reductase involved 2e- and 1H+, consistent with reduction of the flavin to the anionic hydroquinone form, whereas the process requires 2e- and 2H+ in cardiac succinate dehydrogenase. The reason for the difference is not known. The redox potential of the FAD/FADH2 couple in FRD (Em approximately -55 mV) was also slightly more positive than that in cardiac succinate dehydrogenase (-90 mV).     

Activation of liver succinate dehydrogenase in rats exposed to hypobaric conditions

1. On brief exposure of rats to hypobaric conditions, the activity of hepatic mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase was raised from the basal state to a ;partially activated state'. This was further raised to ;fully activated state' by preincubation of mitochondria with succinate, as was the activity in mitochondria from normal rats. 2. On washing mitochondria with the homogenizing sucrose medium the activity excess obtained on preincubation with succinate was lost in mitochondria from both normal and treated rats. 3. The enzyme in the ;partially activated state' from animals exposed to hypobaric conditions was stable to the washing procedure but was labilized and reverted to a low basal state of activity on freezing and thawing of the isolated mitochondria. 4. The results suggest that activation of succinate dehydrogenase under hypobaric conditions represents a conformational change leading to a stable, partially activated, form of the enzyme system: this is the first evidence of physiological modulation of this rate-limiting step in the control of the rate of oxidation of succinate.     

Aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I of Escherichia coli K12 (lambda). Activation by monovalent cations and an analysis of the effect of the adenosine triphosphate-magnesium ion complex on this activation process.

The dehydrogenase activity of the aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I complex isolated from Escherichia coli K12 is subject to a cooperative activation by K+ or Rb+, which is characterized by a Hill coefficient of approximately 2. Ionic strength has little effect on the Hill coefficient for this activation process; however, high ionic strength appears to increase the enzyme's affinity for K+ and decrease its affinity for Rb+. The Vmax of the K+-activated dehydrogenase is greater than that of the Rb+-activated dehydrogenase. The results of a study of the competition between K+ and Rb+ in the activation process suggest the presence of an activated species containing both K+ and Rb+. The cooperative activation by K+ is antagonized by Na+ via a process that is noncooperative with respect to Na+. The MgATP-2- complex, a substrate for the kinase activity of aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I, has a marked effect on the K+ activation of the dehydrogenase activity. Kinetic studies of this effect of MgATP-2- on the K+ requirement of the dehydrogenase at pH 8.9 indicate that: (a) activation by a monovalent cation is essential in the presence as well as in the absence of MgATP-2-; (b) the concentration of K+ required to activate fully the dehydrogenase is reduced in the presence of MgATP-2-; (c) activation of the dehydrogenase by K+ is noncooperative in the presence of MgATP-2-; and (d) the maximum velocity for the dehydrogenase catalyzed oxidation of homoserine is greater in the presence of MgATP-2- than in its absence. Based on these results, a simple model consistent with these data is proposed. Destruction of the kinase activity and the threonine sensitivity of the aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase complex by treatment with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) or by incubation at pH 9 also converts the K+ activation of the dehydrogenase from a cooperative to a noncooperative process. Marked protection of the enzyme against loss of threonine sensitivity at pH 9 is afforded by MgATP-2- plus K+ and homoserine. The apparent molecular radius of the enzyme complex as determined by gel filtration at pH 8.85 in the presence of threonine or MgATP-2- plus K+ and homoserine is dependent on the enzyme concentration. The observed apparent molecular radii of 70 A at high enzyme concentrations and 61 A at low enzyme concentrations are consistent with the enzyme's undergoing a concentration-dependent dissociation from a tetrameric to a dimeri     

The participation of primary amino groups of succinate dehydrogenase in the formation of succinate-Q reductase

(1) Purified succinate dehydrogenase contains about 49 mol of lysine residues per mol enzyme. Titration of succinate dehydrogenase with fluorescamine indicates that half the lysyl groups are located on the surface of the protein and the other half are buried inside. (2) The reconstitutive activity and the low Km ferricyanide reductase activity of succinate dehydrogenase decreased as the extent of alkylation of amino groups by fluorescamine increased. (3) The inhibitory effects of fluorescamine on both activities are parallel and are succinate concentration dependent. (4) Alkylation of the native succinate-Q reductase by fluorescamine does not affect the enzymatic activity or alter the enzyme kinetic parameters. This indicates that the inhibitory effect of fluorescamine on succinate dehydrogenase is due to the modification of a specific amino group(s) on succinate dehydrogenase which is essential in the interaction with QPs to form succinate-Q reductase. The participation of an ionic group in the formation of succinate-Q reductase supports the idea of the involvement of ionic interaction between succinate dehydrogenase and QPs.     

The steady state activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the presence of opposing effectors

The extent of the deactivation of the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase by oxaloacetate is a function of the redox state of the enzyme. Oxidized enzyme is deactivated by much lower concentrations of oxaloacetate than those needed to deactivate reduced enzyme. An accurate method for measuring this relationship is the redox titration of the enzymic activity of succinate dehydrogenase, carried out in the presence of oxaloacetate. For each concentration of oxaloacetate a different redox titration curve was reported with the apparent mid-potential decreasing with increasing oxaloacetate. These results are compatible with a model which proposes that both oxidized and reduced enzymes can form the catalytically non-active complex with oxaloacetate, but that the complex formed the the oxidized enzyme is more stable than that formed by the reduced enzyme. When the oxaloacetate concentration is low, reduction of the enzyme will lower the fraction of the succinate dehydrogenase-oxaloacetate complex, a reaction which we observe as reductive activation of the enzyme. If this experiment is repeated in the presence of high concentration of oxaloacetate, no activation of the enzyme takes place, but the low stability of the reduced enzyme oxaloacetate complex is revealed by the rapid exchange of the enzyme-bound oxaloacetate with the free ligand. The rate of this exchange is extremely slow at high positive potential and becomes faster upon lowering of the poise potential. The reductive activation of the succinate dehydrogenase is regarded as a two step reaction. In the first step the reduced non-active complex releases the oxaloacetate and in the second step the active form of the enzyme is evolved. These two steps can be observed experimentally; Reductive activation at a redox potential higher than the mid-potential of the oxaloacetate-malate couple (minus 166 mV) is characterized by Ea = 18 Kca/mole, the final equilibrium level of activation decreases upon lowering of the temperature. Reduction activation of the enzyme at minus 240 mV is a very rapid reaction which goes to completion at all temperatures tested and has an activation energy of 12.5 Kcal/mole. The mechanism of the reductive activation and its possible role in the regulation of succinate dehydrogenase in the mitochondria is discussed.     

Functional roles of ATP-binding residues in the catalytic site of human mitochondrial NAD(P)+-dependent malic enzyme

Human mitochondrial NAD(P)+-dependent malic enzyme is inhibited by ATP. The X-ray crystal structures have revealed that two ATP molecules occupy both the active and exo site of the enzyme, suggesting that ATP might act as an allosteric inhibitor of the enzyme. However, mutagenesis studies and kinetic evidences indicated that the catalytic activity of the enzyme is inhibited by ATP through a competitive inhibition mechanism in the active site and not in the exo site. Three amino acid residues, Arg165, Asn259, and Glu314, which are hydrogen-bonded with NAD+ or ATP, are chosen to characterize their possible roles on the inhibitory effect of ATP for the enzyme. Our kinetic data clearly demonstrate that Arg165 is essential for catalysis. The R165A enzyme had very low enzyme activity, and it was only slightly inhibited by ATP and not activated by fumarate. The values of K(m,NAD) and K(i,ATP) to both NAD+ and malate were elevated. Elimination of the guanidino side chain of R165 made the enzyme defective on the binding of NAD+ and ATP, and it caused the charge imbalance in the active site. These effects possibly caused the enzyme to malfunction on its catalytic power. The N259A enzyme was less inhibited by ATP but could be fully activated by fumarate at a similar extent compared with the wild-type enzyme. For the N259A enzyme, the value of K(i,ATP) to NAD+ but not to malate was elevated, indicating that the hydrogen bonding between ATP and the amide side chain of this residue is important for the binding stability of ATP. Removal of this side chain did not cause any harmful effect on the fumarate-induced activation of the enzyme. The E314A enzyme, however, was severely inhibited by ATP and only slightly activated by fumarate. The values of K(m,malate), K(m,NAD), and K(i,ATP) to both NAD+ and malate for E314A were reduced to about 2-7-folds compared with those of the wild-type enzyme. It can be concluded that mutation of Glu314 to Ala eliminated the repulsive effects between Glu314 and malate, NAD+, or ATP, and thus the binding affinities of malate, NAD+, and ATP in the active site of the enzyme were enhanced.     

The role of the metal ion in the mechanism of the K+-activated aldehyde dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The effect of K+ on assays of the enzyme was studied and it appears that the activation occurs slowly by a two-step process. Kinetic measurements suggest that the enzyme-catalysed reaction can proceed slowly (0.4%) in the complete absence of K+. The enzyme exhibits a K+-activated esterase activity, which is further activated by NAD+ or NADH. Stopped-flow studies indicated that the principal effect of K+ on the dehydrogenase reaction is to accelerate a step (possibly acyl-enzyme hydrolysis) associated with a fluorescence and small absorbance transient that occurs after hydride transfer and before NADH dissociation from the terminal E-NADH complex. The variation of activity of the enzyme with pH was studied. An enzyme group with pKa approx. 7.1 apparently promotes enzyme activity when in its alkaline form.     

Characteristics of functioning of succinate dehydrogenase from flight muscles of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.)

It was found that the succinate oxidation rate in mitochondria of flight muscles of Bombus terrestris L. increased by a factor of 2.15 after flying for 1 h. An electrophoretically homogenous preparation of succinate dehydrogenase with a specific activity of 7.14 U/mg protein and 81.55-fold purity was isolated from B. terrestris flight muscles. It is shown that this enzyme is represented in the muscle tissue by only one isoform with R _f = 0.24. The molecular weight of the native molecule and its subunits A and B was determined. The kinetic characteristics of succinate dehydrogenase (K _m = 0.33 mM) and the optimal concentration of hydrogen ions (pH 7.8) were established, and the effect of salts on the enzyme activity was studied. The role of succinate as a respiratory substrate in stress and the structural and functional characteristics of the succinate dehydrogenase system in the flight muscles of insects are discussed.     

Reactivity of the sulfhydryl groups of soluble succinate dehydrogenase.

Soluble succinate dehydrogenase prepared by butanol extraction reacts with N-ethylmaleimide according to first-order kinetics with respect to both remaining active enzyme and the inhibitor concentration. Binding of the sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme prevents its alkylation by N-ethylmaleimide and inhibition by oxaloacetate. A kinetic analysis of the inactivation of alkylating reagent in the presence of succinate or malonate suggests that N-ethylmaleimide acts as a site-directed inhibitor. The apparent first-order rate constant of alkylation increases between pH 5.8 and 7.8 indicating a pKa value for the enzyme sulfhydryl group equal to 7.0 at 22 degrees C in 50 mM Tris-sufate buffer. Certain anions (phosphate, citrate, maleate and acetate) decrease the reactivity of the enzyme towards the alkylating reagent. Succinate/phenazine methosulfate reductase activity measured in the presence of a saturating concentration of succinate shows the same pH-dependence as the alkylation rate by N-ethylmaleimide. The mechanism of the first step of succinate oxidation, including a nucleophilic attack of substrate by the active-site sulfhydryl group, is discussed.     

Zinc is a potent inhibitor of thiol oxidoreductase activity and stimulates reactive oxygen species production by lipoamide dehydrogenase.

Submicromolar zinc inhibits alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent mitochondrial respiration. This was attributed to inhibition of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (Brown, A. M., Kristal, B. S., Effron, M. S., Shestopalov, A. I., Ullucci, P. A., Sheu, K.-F. R., Blass, J. P., and Cooper, A. J. L. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 13441-13447). Lipoamide dehydrogenase, a component of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex and two other mitochondrial complexes, catalyzes the transfer of reducing equivalents from the bound dihydrolipoate of the neighboring dihydrolipoamide acyltransferase subunit to NAD(+). This reversible reaction involves two reaction centers: a thiol pair, which accepts electrons from dihydrolipoate, and a non-covalently bound FAD moiety, which transfers electrons to NAD(+). The lipoamide dehydrogenase reaction catalyzed by the purified pig heart enzyme is strongly inhibited by Zn(2+) (K(i) approximately 0.15 microm) in both directions. Steady-state kinetic studies revealed that Zn(2+) competes with oxidized lipoamide for the two-electron-reduced enzyme. Interaction of Zn(2+) with the two-electron-reduced enzyme was directly detected in anaerobic stopped-flow experiments. Lipoamide dehydrogenase also catalyzes NADH oxidation by oxygen, yielding hydrogen peroxide as the major product and superoxide radical as a minor product. Zn(2+) accelerates the oxidase reaction up to 5-fold with an activation constant of 0.09 +/- 0.02 microm. Activation is a consequence of Zn(2+) binding to the reduced catalytic thiols, which prevents delocalization of the reducing equivalents between catalytic disulfide and FAD. A kinetic scheme that satisfactorily describes the observed effects has been developed and applied to determine a number of enzyme kinetic parameters in the oxidase reaction. The distinct effects of Zn(2+) on different LADH activities represent a novel example of a reversible switch in enzyme specificity that is modulated by metal ion binding. These results suggest that Zn(2+) can interfere with mitochondrial antioxidant production and may also stimulate production of reactive oxygen species by a novel mechanism.     

Structural and kinetic studies on the activators of succinate dehydrogenase.

1. Diverse classes of compounds such as dicarboxylates, pyrophosphates, quinols and nitrophenols are known to activate mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99.1). Examples in each class -- malonate, pyrophosphate, ubiquinol and 2,4-dinitrophenol -- are selected for comparative studies on the kinetic constants and structural relationship. 2. The activated forms of the enzyme obtained on preincubating mitochondria with the effectors exhibited Michaelian kinetics and gave double-reciprocal plots which are nearly parallel to that of the basal form. On activation, Km for the substrate also increased along with V. The effectors activated the enzyme at low concentrations and inhibited, in a competitive fashion, at high concentrations. The binding constant for activation was lower than that for inhibition for each effector. 3. These compounds possess ionizable twin oxygens separated by a distance of 5.5 +/- 0.8 A and having fractional charges in the range of -0.26 to -0.74 e. The common twin-oxygen feature of the substrate and the effectors suggested the presence of corresponding counter charges in the binding domain. The competitive nature of effectors with the substrate for inhibition further indicated the close structural resemblance of the activation and catalytic sites.     

Kinetics of succinic dehydrogenase inhibition by methyl parathion and its recovery by oximes and L-cysteine in hepatopancreas of Lamellidens marginalis

Effects in vitro of methyl parathion on some kinetic constants of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in hepatopancreas of freshwater mussel, L. marginalis were studied. Altered pH vs. specific activity curves for SDH demonstrated significant inhibition by methyl parathion in buffered acidic, neutral and alkaline ranges. At high pH ranges IC50 (12.5 microM) of methyl parathion did not cause 50% inhibition enzyme as it did at neutral and acidic pHs. Activation energies (delta E) were found to be increased suggesting decreased efficiency of enzyme in presence of methyl parathion. Non-competitive inhibition with respect to activation by succinate was indicated by decreased maximal velocity (V) without change in Michaelis Menten constant (Km). Pyridine-2-aldoxime (25 microM), pyridine-4-aldoxime (15 microM) and L-cysteine (40 microM) neutralized the inhibition of SDH by methyl parathion (12.5 microM). The kinetic data suggests that inhibition of SDH by methyl parathion was pH and temperature independent.     

Presence and regulation of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger.

alpha-Ketoglutarate dehydrogenase has been demonstrated for the first time in cell extracts from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. A minimum protein concentration of 5 mg/ml is necessary for detecting enzyme activity, but a maximum of ca. 0.060 mumol/min per mg of protein is observed only when the protein concentration is above 9 mg/ml. alpha-Ketoglutarate can partly stabilize the enzyme against dilution in the assay system. Neither bovine serum albumin nor a variety of substrates or effectors of the enzyme could stabilize the enzyme against inactivation by dilution. A kinetic analysis of the enzyme revealed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with respect to alpha-ketoglutarate, coenzyme A, and NAD. Thiamine PPi was required for maximal activity. NADH, oxaloacetate, succinate, and cis-aconitate were found to inhibit the enzyme; AMP was without effect. Monovalent cations including NH4+ were inhibitory at high concentrations (greater than 20 mM). The highest enzyme activity was found in rapidly growing mycelia (glucose-NH4+ or glucose-peptone medium). We discuss the possibility that citric acid accumulation is caused by oxaloacetate and NADH inhibition of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase of A. niger.     

Modification of Brain Mitochondrial Enzymes by the Oxygen Analogue of Ronnel at Various Stages of Development and Aging

This paper describes the effect of the organophosphorus compound, the oxygen analogue of ronnel (OAR), on the activity of some membrane-bound enzyme systems in the brain mitochondria of developing, young-adult, and old rats. Age-related changes were noted in the cholesterol-to-protein ratio, whereas the phospholipid content in mitochondria showed little change during development as well as aging. The results obtained suggest that development of brain succinate dehydrogenase may consist in a decrease of Km and increase of Vmax values. In aged rats an altered, perhaps inhibited form of the enzyme is produced. The oxygen analogue of ronnel caused a mixed-type inhibition of the succinate dehydrogenase derived from brains of 4-day-old, 16-day-old and 2-month-old animals. In the case of enzyme from the brain of 18-month-old rats, a typical competitive-type inhibition was observed. Mechanisms responsible for inhibition of the succinate: cytochrome c reductase from brains of developing animals are similar to those for succinate dehydrogenase. In aged rats (18 months old), however, a noncompetitive mechanism of inhibition of succinate: cytochrome c reductase was revealed. The experiments reported here provide evidence that lipid-soluble molecules of OAR may interact with membrane phospholipids and lead to modification of membrane architecture and also of enzyme kinetic behaviour. It may be also concluded, that the sensitivity of the enzyme systems studied to inhibition by OAR is an age-dependent phenomenon. Modification of membrane by development or aging alters the kinetics as well as the sensitivity of enzymes to inhibitors.     

Purification and characterization of cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the dromedary camel

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) (EC 1.2.1.12),a key enzyme ofcarbon metabolism,was purified and characterized to homogeneity from skeletal muscle of Camelusdromedarius.The protein was purified approximately 26.8 folds by conventional ammonium sulphatefractionation followed by Blue Sepharose CL-6B chromatography,and its physical and kinetic propertieswere investigated.The native protein is a homotetramer with an apparent molecular weight of approximately146 kDa.Isoelectric focusing analysis showed the presence of only one GAPDH isoform with an isoelectricpoint of 7.2.The optimum pH of the purified enzyme was 7.8.Studies on the effect of temperature onenzyme activity revealed an optimal value of approximately 28-32 ℃ with activation energy of 4.9 kcal/mol.The apparent K_m values for NAD~ and DL-glyceraldehyde-3-phophate were estimated to be 0.025±0.040mM and 0.21±0.08 mM, respectively. The V_(max) of the purified protein was estimated to be 52.7±5.9 U/mg.These kinetic parameter values were different from those described previously, reflecting protein differencesbetween species.     

Isocitrate Lyase from a Thermophilic Bacillus: Effect of Salts on Enzyme Activity

The isocitrate lyase from a thermophilic Bacillus is activated about threefold by a variety of salts. Such strong stimulation of activity is not seen with isocitrate lyase from the mesophiles, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Escherichia coli, and Aspergillus nidulans. The salt activation is markedly pH-dependent. At pH values above 8.6, salt (KCl) indeed inhibits the enzyme activity. Potassium chloride also causes a significant shift of the pH optimum of the enzyme towards the acid side. As the temperature of the enzyme reaction is raised, activation becomes progressively weaker. Potassium chloride also affords considerable protection against enzyme denaturation at 55 C. The activation and the stabilization, however, appear to be independent effects. Of six other enzymes in the thermophile that were examined, isocitrate dehydrogenase was equally strongly activated by KCl and malate synthase was less strongly, but significantly, activated; citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase were unaffected or slightly inhibited by KCl. The property of being strongly activated by salt appears to be a peculiar characteristic of the thermophile isocitrate lyase and possibly evolved concomitantly with its thermostability.     

Histochemical demonstration of a circadian rhythm of succinate dehydrogenase in rat pineal gland. Influence of coenzyme Q10 addition.

Succinate dehydrogenase activity was investigated histochemically in the rat pineal gland. The influence of fixation on the activity pattern, the possible diffusion of enzyme, the nothing dehydrogenase reaction, and the substantivity of the tetrazolium salts and formazans were investigated in control experiments. In rats maintained on a 17/7 h light/dark schedule a distinct circadian rhythm of the succinate dehydrogenase was demonstrated in the pineal gland. Activity was lowest during the day and highest during the night. The dorsocaudal part of the gland showed the highest activity and within the same part of the gland the activity varied between individual pinealocytes. A relative lack of endogenous coenzyme Q, as well as a circadian rhythm of this coenzyme, highly influenced the activity of succinate dehydrogenase. It is concluded that succinate dehydrogenase activity in the pineal gland of the rat is regulated by changing the concentration of the active enzyme itself as well as the level of the endogenous coenzyme Q. Whether this is caused by a circadian rhythm in the synthesis or in the catabolism of the enzyme and the coenzyme was not revealed by the present study .     

Histochemical demonstration of a circadian rhythm of succinate dehydrogenase in rat pineal gland. Influence of coenzyme Q10 addition

Summary Succinate dehydrogenase activity was investigated histochemically in the rat pineal gland. The influence of fixation on the activity pattern, the possible diffusion of enzyme, the nothing dehydrogenase reaction, and the substantivity of the tetrazolium salts and formazans were investigated in control experiments.In rats maintained on a 17/7 h light/dark schedule a distinct circadian rhythm of the succinate dehydrogenase was demonstrated in the pineal gland. Activity was lowest during the day and highest during the night. The dorsocaudal part of the gland showed the highest activity and within the same part of the gland the activity varied between individual pinealocytes. A relative lack of endogenous coenzyme Q, as well as a circadian rhythm of this coenzyme, highly influenced the activity of succinate dehydrogenase. It is concluded that succinate dehydrogenase activity in the pineal gland of the rat is regulated by changing the concentration of the active enzyme itself as well as the level of the endogenous coenzyme Q. Whether this is caused by a circadian rhythm in the synthesis or in the catabolism of the enzyme and the coenzyme was not revealed by the present study.     

Interaction between succinate dehydrogenase and ubiquinone-binding protein from succinate-ubiquinone reductase

Purified ubiquinone-binding protein in succinate-ubiquinone reductase (QPs) reconstitutes with pure soluble succinate dehydrogenase to form succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase upon mixing of the two proteins in phosphate buffer at neutral pH. The maximal reconstitution was found with a weight ratio of succinate dehydrogenase to QPs of about 5, which is fairly close to the calculated value of 6.5, a value obtained by assuming one mole of QPs reacts with one mole of succinate dehydrogenase. Succinate-cytochrome c reductase was reconstituted when succinate dehydrogenase and QPs were added to Complex III or cytochrome b-c₁ III complex (a highly purified ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase). The reconstituted enzyme possessed kinetic parameters which were identical to those of the native enzyme complex. Interaction between QPs and succinate dehydrogenase resulted in the disappearance of low K_m ferricyanide reductase activity from the latter. Unlike soluble succinate dehydrogenase, the reconstituted enzyme, as well as native succinate-cytochrome c reductase, reduced low concentration ferricyanide only in the presence of excess ubiquinone. The apparent K_m for ubiquinone was 6 μM for reduction of ferricyanide (300 μM) by succinate, which is similar to the K_m when ubiquinone was used as electron acceptor. When 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol was used as electron acceptor for reconstitution of succinate-ubiquinone reductase very little or no exogeneous ubiquinone was needed to show the maximal activity with QPs made by Method II, indicating that the bound ubiquinone in QPs is enough for enzymatic activity. In addition to restoring the succinate-ubiquinone reductase activity the interaction between QPs and succinate dehydrogenase not only stabilized succinate dehydrogenase but also partially deaggregated QPs. The reconstituted succinate-ubiquinone reductase had a minimal molecular weight of 120000 when the reconstituted system was dispersed in 0.2% Triton X-100. The maximal reconstitution was observed at neutral pH in phosphate buffer, Tris-acetate or Tris-phosphate buffer. Tris-HCl buffer, however, produced a less efficient reconstitution. These results indicate that the interaction between QPs and succinate dehydrogenase may involve some cationic group which has a high affinity for Cl^?. Primary amino groups of QPs are not directly involved in the interaction as the reconstitution showed no significant difference when the amino groups of QPs were alkylated with fluorescamine. The Arrhenius plots of reconstituted succinate-ubiquinone reductase show that the enzyme catalyzes the reaction with an activation energy of 19.7 kcal/mol and 26.6 kcal/mol at temperatures above and below 26°C, respectively. These activation energies are similar to those obtained with native enzyme. The Arrhenius plots of the interaction between QPs and succinate dehydrogenase also have a break point at 26°C. The activation energy for this interaction was calculated to be 11.2 kcal/mol and 6.9 kcal/mol for the temperatures above and below the break-point. The significance of the difference in activation energies between the enzymatic reaction and the reconstitution reaction are further explored in the discussion.