scholarly journals The protonmotive force in bovine heart submitochondrial particles. Magnitude, sites of generation and comparison with the phosphorylation potential

1978 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
M C Sorgato ◽  
S J Ferguson ◽  
D B Kell ◽  
P John

1. The magnitude of the protonmotive force in respiring bovine heart submitochondrial particles was estimated. The membrane-potential component was determined from the uptake of S14CN-ions, and the pH-gradient component from the uptake of [14C]methylamine. In each case a flow-dialysis technique was used to monitor uptake. 2. With NADH as substrate the membrane potential was approx. 145mV and the pH gradient was between 0 and 0.5 unit when the particles were suspended in a Pi/Tris reaction medium. The addition of the permeant NO3-ion decreased the membrane potential with a corresponding increase in the pH gradient. In a medium containing 200mM-sucrose, 50mM-KCl and Hepes as buffer, the total protonmotive force was 185mV, comprising a membrane potential of 90mV and a pH gradient of 1.6 units. Thus the protonmotive force was slightly larger in the high-osmolarity medium. 3. The phosphorylation potential (= deltaG0′ + RT ln[ATP]/[ADP][Pi]) was approx. 43.1 kJ/mol (10.3kcal/mol) in all the reaction media tested. Comparison of this value with the protonmotive force indicates that more than 2 and up to 3 protons must be moved across the membrane for each molecule of ATP synthesized by a chemiosmotic mechanism. 4. Succinate generated both a protonmotive force and a phosphorylation potential that were of similar magnitude to those observed with NADH as substrate. 5. Although oxidation of NADH supports a rate of ATP synthesis that is approximately twice that observed with succinate, respiration with either of these substrates generated a very similar protonmotive force. Thus there seemed to be no strict relation between the size of the protonmotive force and the phosphorylation rate. 6. In the presence of antimycin and/or 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide, ascorbate oxidation with either NNN'N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine as electron mediator generated a membrane potential of approx. 90mV, but no pH gradient was detected, even in the presence of NO3-. These data are discussed with reference to the proposal that cytochrome oxidase contains a proton pump.

1978 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas B. Kell ◽  
Philip John ◽  
Stuart J. Ferguson

1. The magnitude of the protonmotive force in phosphorylating membrane vesicles from Paracoccus denitrificans was estimated. The membrane potential component was determined from the uptake of S14CN−, and the transmembrane pH gradient component from the uptake of [14C]methylamine. In each case a flow-dialysis technique was used to monitor uptake. 2. With NADH as substrate, the membrane potential was about 145mV and the pH gradient was below 0.5 pH unit. The membrane potential was decreased by approx. 15mV during ATP synthesis, and was abolished on addition of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. In the presence of KCl plus valinomycin the membrane potential was replaced by a pH gradient of 1.5 units. 3. Succinate oxidation generated a membrane potential of approx. 125mV and the pH gradient was below 0.5 pH unit. Oxidation of ascorbate (in the presence of antimycin) with either 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine or NNN′N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine as electron mediator usually generated a membrane potential of approx. 90mV. On occasion, ascorbate oxidation did not generate a membrane potential, suggesting that the presence of a third energy-coupling site in P. denitrificans vesicles is variable. 4. With NADH or succinate as substrate, the phosphorylation potential (ΔGp=ΔG0′+RTln[ATP]/ [ADP][Pi]) was approx. 53.6kJ/mol (12.8kcal/mol). Comparison of this value with the protonmotive force indicates that more than 3 protons need to be translocated via the adenosine triphosphatase of P. denitrificans for each molecule of ATP synthesized by a chemiosmotic mechanism. In the presence of 10mm-KNO3 the protonmotive force was not detectable (<60mV) but ΔGp was not altered. This result may indicate either that there is no relationship between the protonmotive force and ΔGp, or that for an unidentified reason the equilibration of SCN− or methylamine with the membrane potential and the pH gradient is prevented by NO3− in this system.


1983 ◽  
Vol 212 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ahmed ◽  
I R Booth

Valinomycin, nigericin and trichlorocarbanilide were assessed for their ability to control the protonmotive force in Escherichia coli cells. Valinomycin, at high K+ concentrations, was found to decrease the membrane potential delta phi and indirectly to decrease the pH gradient delta pH. Nigericin was found to have two modes of action. At low concentrations (0.05-2 microM) it carried out K+/H+ exchange and decreased delta pH. At higher concentrations (50 microM) it carried out a K+-dependent transfer of H+, decreasing both delta phi and delta pH. In EDTA-treated cells only the latter mode of action was evident, whereas in a mutant sensitive to deoxycholate both types of effect were observed. Trichlorocarbanilide is proposed as an alternative to nigericin for the specific control of delta pH, and it can be used in cells not treated with EDTA.


1992 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
L M Henderson ◽  
J B Chappell

The H+ channel associated with the generation of O2.- by NADPH oxidase and the oxidase itself must both be activated in response to stimuli (e.g. phorbol esters, chemotactic peptides, certain fatty acids). We have investigated the effects of membrane potential, an imposed pH gradient and a combination of the two (the protonmotive force) on the H+ conductivity of the cytoplast membrane. H+ conductivity was observed only in the presence of arachidonate and not in its absence. In the presence of arachidonate, H+ movement was determined by the protonmotive force. The effect of arachidonate was probably on a channel, since this fatty acid did not significantly increase the H+ permeability of artificial phospholipid membranes. It appears, therefore, that arachidonate is required both for the activation of O2.- production and the associated H(+)-channel-mediated efflux.


1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (4) ◽  
pp. C349-C355 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. S. Andersson ◽  
T. Y. Aw ◽  
D. P. Jones

The effect of anoxia on the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and pH gradient was studied in a preparation of isolated hepatocytes. Transmembrane potential (delta psi) was calculated from the distribution of triphenylmethylphosphonium between the mitochondrial, cytosolic, and extracellular compartments, which were separated by digitonin fractionation and centrifugation. Mitochondrial and cytosolic pH values were calculated from the distribution of the weak acid, dimethadione, which was determined similarly. After 30 min anoxia, the magnitude of mitochondrial delta psi was decreased from -163 to -133 mV and the delta pH (mitochondria vs. cytoplasm) was essentially unchanged (aerobic, 0.78 +/- 0.08; anaerobic, 0.76 +/- 0.11). Thus the protonmotive force (delta p = delta psi-Z delta pH), is largely retained even in the absence of electron flow and ATP synthesis. Inhibitors of the ATP synthase (oligomycin), mitochondrial adenine nucleotide carrier (atractyloside), and glycolytic pathway (2-deoxy-D-glucose) do not affect the ability of the cell to maintain delta psi during anoxia. Therefore, the results indicate that retention of the protonmotive force is not due to utilization of ATP produced by glycolysis and suggest that mechanisms exist to preserve ion distribution during anoxia.


1980 ◽  
Vol 188 (3) ◽  
pp. 945-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
M C Sorgato ◽  
D Branca ◽  
S J Ferguson

The problem of whether the rate of ATP synthesis is proportional to the magnitude of the protonmotive force has been studied in submitochondrial particles. It was found that the rate of ATP synthesis can decrease at constant protonmotive force and is more closely related to the rate of substrate oxidation.


1977 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
S J Ferguson ◽  
M C Sorgato

A phosphorylation potential deltaGp, where deltaGp = deltaGo' + RT2.303 log ([ATP]/([ADP][Pi])), of approx. 44.3 kJ.mol-1 (10.6 kcal.mol-1) was generated by submitochondrial particles that were oxidizing either NADH or succinate. Addition of adenylyl imidodiphosphate, which should suppress adenosine triphosphatase activity of any uncoupled particles, did not raise the phosphorylation potential. Raising the Pi concentration slightly increased the magnitude of the value for [ATP]/[ADP], but this did not fully compensate for the increased Pi concentration, so that the phosphorylation potential decreased slightly as the Pi concentration was raised. The phosphorylation potential developed by submitochondrial particles is lower than that generated by phosphorylating membrane vesicles from some bacteria, and is also less than that developed externally by mitochondria, but is strikingly close to the phosphorylation potential that is generated internally by mitochondria.


2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances H. Blaikie ◽  
Stephanie E. Brown ◽  
Linda M. Samuelsson ◽  
Martin D. Brand ◽  
Robin A. J. Smith ◽  
...  

The protonmotive force (Δp) across the mitochondrial inner membrane drives ATP synthesis. In addition, the energy stored in Δp can be dissipated by proton leak through the inner membrane, contributing to basal metabolic rate and thermogenesis. Increasing mitochondrial proton leak pharmacologically should decrease the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation and counteract obesity by enabling fatty acids to be oxidised with decreased ATP production. While protonophores such as 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) increase mitochondrial proton leak and have been used to treat obesity, a slight increase in DNP concentration above the therapeutically effective dose disrupts mitochondrial function and leads to toxicity. Therefore we set out to develop a less toxic protonophore that would increase proton leak significantly at high Δp but not at low Δp. Our design concept for a potential self-limiting protonophore was to couple the DNP moiety to the lipophilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation and this was achieved by the preparation of 3-(3,5-dinitro-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyltriphenylphosphonium methanesulfonate (MitoDNP). TPP cations accumulate within mitochondria driven by the membrane potential (Δψ), the predominant component of Δp. Our hypothesis was that MitoDNP would accumulate in mitochondria at high Δψ where it would act as a protonophore, but that at lower Δψ the accumulation and uncoupling would be far less. We found that MitoDNP was extensively taken into mitochondria driven by Δψ. However MitoDNP did not uncouple mitochondria as judged by its inability to either increase respiration rate or decrease Δψ. Therefore MitoDNP did not act as a protonophore, probably because the efflux of deprotonated MitoDNP was inhibited.


2004 ◽  
Vol 382 (2) ◽  
pp. 511-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian J. LAMBERT ◽  
Martin D. BRAND

The relationship between protonmotive force and superoxide production by mitochondria is poorly understood. To address this issue, the rate of superoxide production from complex I of rat skeletal muscle mitochondria incubated under a variety of conditions was assessed. By far, the largest rate of superoxide production was from mitochondria respiring on succinate; this rate was almost abolished by rotenone or piericidin, indicating that superoxide production from complex I is large under conditions of reverse electron transport. The high rate of superoxide production by complex I could also be abolished by uncoupler, confirming that superoxide production is sensitive to protonmotive force. It was inhibited by nigericin, suggesting that it is more dependent on the pH gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane than on the membrane potential. These effects were examined in detail, leading to the conclusions that the effect of protonmotive force was mostly direct, and not indirect through changes in the redox state of the ubiquinone pool, and that the production of superoxide by complex I during reverse electron transport was at least 3-fold more sensitive to the pH gradient than to the membrane potential.


1977 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Lagarde

Evidence is presented indicating that the carrier-mediated uptake of 3-deoxy-2-oxo-D-gluconate and D-glucuronate in Escherichia coli K12 is driven by the deltapH and deltapsi components of the protonmotive force. 1. Approximately two protons enter the cells with each sugar molecule, independent of the sugar and the strain used. 2. In respiring cells, the magnitude of the pH gradient alone, as measured by distribution of [3H]acetate, appears to be insufficient to account for the chemical gradient of 3-deoxy-2-oxo-D-gluconate that is developed between pH 6.0 and 8.0. 3. If the external pH is varied between 5.5 and 8.0, 3-deoxy-2-oxo-D-gluconate uptake is gradually inhibited by valinomycin plus K+ ions, whereas the inhibition caused by nigericin is concomitantly relieved, thus reflecting the relative contribution of deltapH and deltapsi to the total protonmotive force at each external pH. 4. 3-Deoxy-2-oxo-D-gluconate can be transiently accumulated into isolated membrane vesicles in response to an artificially induced pH gradient. The process is stimulated when the membrane potential is collapsed by valinomycin in the presence of K+ ions.


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