Mitochondria catalyze the reduction of NAD by reduced methylviologen

Mitochondria from beef heart and yeast catalyze the reduction of NAD to NADH at the expense of reduced methylviologen (MV+). Based on protein the specific activity of mitochondria for this reaction is about 10 20-times higher than the consumption of oxygen in the presence of succinate or NADH. In 2H2O buffer (4S)-[4-2H]NADH is formed in high enantiomeric excess if the reduced methylviologen is electrochemically regenerated.