Electrophoresis of liver proteins from the rat under various physiological conditions

The total protein and glycoprotein in electrophoretic patterns of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum we studied in peculiar physiological conditions as perinatal development, pregnancy and liver rigeneration. Previous work in these experimental systems showed a changed microsome lipid composition and modified activities of some ER membrane bound enzymes. The microsomes obtained from foetal and neonatal liver show a modified electrophoretic pattern of both total protein and glycoprotein of low weight with respect to the adult animal. As to the microsomes of 8h and 12h regenerating liver modifications are observed only in the pattern of glycoprotein in the molecular weight range.     

Lipid composition of rat liver microsomes under various experimental conditions

Cholesterol and phospholipid content, and phospholipid composition (sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethaolamine) were assayed in rat liver microsomes during regeneration, foetal development and pregnancy. Cholesterol was assayed using Liebermann-Buchard reagent; the phospholipid extract was separated by thin-layer chromatography. While in pregnancy no changes were observed, during foetal development and liver regeneration there was a significative decrease of cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, and of phosphatidylcholine content. Moreover, in developing liver microsomes, there is also a significative increase of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylserine + phosphatidylinositol.     

Changes in rat liver mitochondria under conditions of bilateral subdiaphramatic vagotomy]

A study was made of the changes in the mitochondria of the rat liver under conditions of bilateral subphrenic vagotomy. Two stages in the dynamics of the response of the mitochondrial apparatus to denervation were distingished. During the first stage (0.5-3 days after vagotomy) there occurred reversible functional disturbances of the mitochondria caused by the postoperative stress. The second stage (7 to 60 days after the denervation) was charaterized by more marked structural-functional changes having a number od common features with those seen in hypoxia and being result of vagotomy proper.     

Phosphorylating efficiency of isolated rat liver mitochondria respiring under the conditions of steady-State 4

A limited, but significant net formation of ATP was observed during the very first period of respiratory State 4. The synthesis appeared to depend on respiration, since it was completely inhibited by KCN or by 2,4-dinitrophenol. Accordingly, State 4 respiration was observed to be inhibited to a large extent by oligomycin. After the initial increase, the level of ATP remained unmodified under the conditions of steady-state 4. Also, the maintenance of the equilibrium level of ATP was very sensitive to KCN or 2,4-dinitrophenol. Under the very same conditions of State 4, the mitochondria exhibited a significant ATPase activity, which appeared to be competitively inhibited by ADP. Therefore, it might be concluded that the apparently constant level of ATP observed in State 4 results from a balanced equilibrium between a respiration-dependent synthesis and a continuous hydrolysis. A comparison between the amount of ATP hydrolysed in State 4 and the amount of oxygen consumed under the same conditions indicated that the phosphorylating efficiency of respiring mitochondria in State 4 is as high as in State 3.     

Kinetic characterization of the reconstituted tricarboxylate carrier from rat liver mitochondria

The tricarboxylate carrier from rat liver mitochondria was purified by chromatography on hydroxyapatite/celite and reconstituted in phospholipid vesicles by removing the detergent using hydrophobic chromatography on Amberlite. Optimal transport activity was obtained by using a Triton X-114/phospholipid ratio of 0.8, 6% cardiolipin and 24 passages through a single Amberlite column. In the reconstituted system the incorporated tricarboxylate carrier catalyzed a first-order reaction of citrate/citrate or citrate/malate exchange. The activation energy of the exchange reaction was 70.1 kJ/mol. The rate of the exchange had a pH optimum between 7 and 8. The half-saturation constant was 0.13 mM for citrate and 0.76 mM for malate. All these properties were similar to those described for the tricarboxylate transport system in intact mitochondria. In proteoliposomes the maximum exchange rate at 25 degrees C reached 2000 mumols/min per g protein. This value was independent of the type of substrate present at the external or internal space of the liposomes (citrate or malate).     

Kinetic characterization of the reconstituted carnitine carrier from rat liver mitochondria

The carnitine carrier was purified from rat liver mitochondria and reconstituted into liposomes by removing the detergent from mixed micelles by Amberlite. Optimal transport activity was obtained with 1 microgram/ml and 12.5 mg/ml of protein and phospholipid concentration, respectively, with a Triton X-100/phospholipid ratio of 1.8 and with 16 passages through the same Amberlite column. The activity of the carrier was influenced by the phospholipid composition of the liposomes, being increased in the presence of cardiolipin and decreased in the presence of phosphatidylinositol. In the reconstituted system the incorporated carnitine carrier catalyzed a carnitine/carnitine exchange which followed a first-order reaction. The maximum transport rate of external [3H]carnitine was 1.7 mmol/min per g protein at 25 degrees C and was independent of the type of countersubstrate. The half-saturation constant (Km) for carnitine was 0.51 mM. The affinity of the carrier for acylcarnitines was in the microM range and depended on the carbon chain length. The activation energy of the carnitine/carnitine exchange was 133 kJ/mol. The carrier function was independent of the pH in the range between 6 and 8 and was inhibited at pH below 6.     

Quantitative characteristics of glutamate transport in rat liver mitochondria

1. The kinetics of glutamate transport into mitochondria were determined by using Bromocresol Purple to terminate the transport process. 2. Glutamate transport was found to have a V(max.) of 9.1nmol/min per mg of protein at pH6.9 and 20 degrees C; the K(m) for glutamate was 4mm. 3. The rate of glutamate deamination in intact mitochondria was tenfold slower than in disrupted mitochondria. 4. These results suggest that glutamate deamination may be controlled by the rate of glutamate transport. Possible consequences of these findings are discussed.     

Cytochrome c oxidase activity in mitochondria of cardiomyocytes from isolated cardiac tissue incubated under long-term hypoxic conditions

Electron microscopic histochemistry based upon the oxidative polymerization of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) was applied to identify cytochrome c oxidase activity. We found that the incubation of isolated small pieces of cardiac tissue over 72 h under hypoxic conditions caused changes in the mitochondrial ultrastructure and disorders in the functional activity of mitochondria, particularly in the IV complex of respirator chain. Small, electron-dense mitochondria appeared inside electron-light mitochondria (“mitochondria inside mitochondria”) stained positively for cytochrome c oxidase activity along the full length of crista. The results are discussed in connection with the concept of intracellular regeneration and mitochondria structural transformations during mitoptosis.     

RNA biosynthesis in mitochondria under conditions of prolonged inhibition of protein biosynthesis in rat liver cytoplasm]

When cytoplasmic protein synthesis is inhibited by cycloheximide (CHI) in vivo synthesis of water-soluble mitochondrial proteins and of mitochondrial RNA is decreased. These changes measured in isolated rat liver mitochondria are similar to those observed in vivo and correlate with the changes the synthesis of water-soluble proteins in mitochondria. When the cytoplasmic fraction (30,000 g-supernatant) had been added to the mitochondria showing decreased RNA synthesis, the RNA synthesis increased to the control level (the incubation conditions were favourable for the protein transport from microsomes to mitochondria). RNA synthesis in mitochondria was not stimulated by cytoplasmic fractions from the CHI-pretreated rats. After prolonged dialysis these fraction stimulated RNA synthesis even to a greater extent than cytoplasmic fractions from the untreated animals. Mitochondrial RNA polymerase activity (measured in mitochondrial extracts supplemented with exogenous DNA) was higher in extracts of mitochondria from livers of normal rats than in extracts of mitochondria from livers of animals injected with CHI.     

Synthesis of polypeptides of various length in isolated mitochondria of rat liver

The [35S]methionine labeled mitochondrial translation products were separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis in the presence of 8 M urea. The time of the major polypeptide synthesis was determined after fluorography and scanning. It was found that the changes in the time of polypeptide synthesis are not correlated with their lengths. These data are consistent with the hypothesis on the unsteady rate of protein synthesis with a sharp deceleration (pause) of translation during the reading of middle portions of mRNA.