Effects of triorganotin-mediated anion–hydroxide exchange upon reconstituted cytochrome c oxidase proteoliposomes
Proteoliposomes containing cytochrome c oxidase and an internally trapped fluorescent pH probe (pyranine) were used to monitor respiration-dependent internal alkalinization and membrane potential formation. A maximum steady-state pH gradient of about 0.4 pH unit (vesicle interior alkaline) was obtained during active respiration in presence of reducing substrates and cytochrome c. This pH gradient was abolished by the triorganotin compounds tripropyl-, tributyl-, and triphenyl-tin chloride. At the same time, the membrane potential, measured by carbocyanine dye uptake, was slightly increased in value. Valinomycin, which abolishes the membrane potential, restores the value of ΔpH at low trialkyltin concentrations. The organotin compounds acted as electroneutral ionophores which exchanged intravesicular OH− ions with external SCN−, I−, and Cl− ions, but not [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] ions. Abolition of ΔpH is accompanied by an increase in respiration rate, but full resiratory stimulation only occurs when both Δψ and ΔpH are abolished by addition of both triorganotin and valinomycin. The triorganotin–valinomycin combination leads to active KC1 accumulation by the respiring proteoliposome, and it is necessary to postulate an electrically neutral KC1 efflux process to explain the continued steady respiration of the proteoliposomes in the presence of this ionophore combination.