Oligomycin effects on ATPase and photophosphorylation of pea chloroplast thylakoid membranes

Oligomycin inhibited the membrane-bound, Ca²⁺-dependent ATPase of pea (Pisum sativum var. Progress No. 9) chloroplasts up to 50%, but only after treating the membranes with trypsin, whether or not the trypsin step was needed for full activity. The energy-linked Mg²⁺-dependent (light- and dithiothreitol (DTT)-activated) ATPase of pea thylakoids could be inhibited up to 100% under specified conditions. The data indicate that oligomycin does not interfere with activation processes, and it failed to inhibit the ATPase of solubilized chloroplast coupling factor 1 under any circumstances. Photophosphorylation, previously thought insensitive to oligomycin, was inhibited 30% in the case of pea chloroplasts, and this increased to 50% inhibition after pretreating the chloroplasts with either trypsin or DTT. The nature of inhibition of phosphorylation was complex, with apparent small components of electron transport inhibition and uncoupling, as well as energy transfer inhibition.