Specificity of acidic phospholipids (CL & PA) in the activation of mitochondrial F0F1 ATPase by Mg2+

The interaction of Mg2+ with native F0F1 ATPase was studied. The hydrolytic activity of F0F1 ATPase could be competitively activated by Mg2+, but the preincubation of F0F1 ATPase with cholate eliminated the Mg2+ effect. The result from the comparison of the effect of Mg2+ on F0F1 ATPase with that on soluble F1 ATPase, and the fact that the activation of Mg2+ on cholate-treated F0F1 ATPase could be reconstituted only by divalent acidic phospholipid cardiolipin, indicate that there exists a specificity between the acidic phospholipids of the mitochondrial inner membrane and Mg2+ enhancement of ATP-hydrolyzing activity of F0F1 ATPase.