Kinetics of Mitochondrial Complementation

Mitochondrial complementation (enhancement of oxidative activity of mitochondrial occured when mitochondria of some inbrveds of eron were mixed in vitro. It was found that mixtures composed of various proportions of mitochondria of inbreds exhibited complementation. Extracts of mitochondria of one inbred did not promote complementation when they were added to infact mitochondria of inbreds exhihited complententation. Extracts of mitochondria of on einbred did not promote complementation when they were added to infact mitochondria of the second inbred. Serial dillutions of mixtures resulted in a rapid reduction of mitochondrial oxidation (QO₂ N) suggesting that intimale association between mitochondria was minimized by the dilution and that this decreased complementation. Similar dilutions of mitochondria from inbreds did not decrease their specific activity. Kinetics of mitochondrial oxidation were measured polarographically and it was found that complementation was measurable immediately (1 min) following the mixing. This suggested that physical contact between mitochondria was necessary for complementation.