The effect of adenine nucleotides and inhibitors of ADP translocation on uncoupled electron flux in bean mitochondria

The uncoupled electron flux and the influence of adenine nucleotides on this flux in mitochondria isolated from hypocotyls of Vigna sinensis (L.) Savi cv. Seridó were examined. In order to avoid the functioning of other enzymes capable of utilizing adenine nucleotides the reaction medium was free of Mg²⁺. When an oxidizable NADH -linked substrate such as L-malate was used, a stimulatory of adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine-5′-diphosphate (ADP) on uncoupled respiration was manifested. The stimulatory effect of AMP and ADP could not be shown when succinate was the substrate. Atractyloside and carboxyatractyloside had no effect on the stimulatory role played respectively by AMP and ADP in the presence of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone (FCCP).