Interrelationships between hydrogen-supplying reactions, respiration rate and extramitochondrial adenine nucleotide pattern

1. The influence of a diminished hydrogen supply on the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation of isolated rat liver mitochondria in dependence on the extramitochondrial (ATP)/(ADP) ratio was investigated. 2. The hydrogen supply was diminished by using various (beta-hydroxybutyrate)/(acetoacetate) ratios as a redox buffer and the results were compared with those of experiments using perifusion of immobilized mitochondria with non-saturating substrate concentrations. 3. In both experimental approaches the influence of a diminished hydrogen pressure on the maximum (ATP)/(ADP) ratio at minimum flux was low. An extreme decrease in the (beta-hydroxybutyrate)/(acetoacetate) ratio by more than two orders of magnetitude causes the (APT)/(ADP) ratio to decrease by about 50%. 4. The load capacity of oxidative phosphorylation (maximum flux) is considerably decreased by diminished hydrogen pressure. 5. The borderline cases of purely kinetic and thermodynamic limitations of hydrogen supply were calculated by computer simulation with respect to the regulating behaviour of oxidative phosphorylation and changes in the control strength of adenine nucleotide translocator and hydrogen supply in the overall reaction. 6. A prevalent thermodynamic influence of hydrogen supply on oxidative energy transformation in the cell is discussed in the light of experimental data.