SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Uncoupling Agents”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

NADH in the pyramidal cell layer of hippocampal regions CA1 and CA3 upon selective inhibition and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.

N2-laser-induced fluorescence in combination with the time and spectral resolution of fluorescent NADH molecules allows on-line measurement of relative NADH concentration with high spatial resolution (diameter of optical fibre 200 microns, lambda(exc) = 337 nm, lambda(det) = 460 nm). Energy metabolism was impaired in submerged rat hippocampal slices using the inhibitors amytal, 3-nitropropionate (3-np), sodium cyanide (1 mM each) and the uncoupling agent 2,4-DNP (200 microM). A microprocessor-controlled repeated positioning of the optical fibre in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cell layers, and CA1 stratum radiatum (CA1SR). Time-dependently, NADH fluorescence increased reversibly upon perfusion with amytal and cyanide. It was unchanged by perfusion with 3-np for 40 min and rapidly decreased upon perfusion with 2,4-DNP. The CA1/CA3 ratio of NADH fluorescence mildly decreased to 0.92 +/- 0.04 (mean +/- S.D.) at 10 min (P < 0.05) and 0.89 +/- 0.05 at 20 min (P < 0.01) upon perfusion with amytal. The CA1/CA3 ratio increased to 1.56 +/- 0.28 at 10 min (P < 0.01) and 1.29 +/- 0.35 at 20 min (P < 0.05) upon application of 2,4-DNP. Fluorescence in CA1SR was similar to fluorescence in CA1 upon perfusion with 2,4-DNP and similar to CA3 upon perfusion with amytal. We conclude that NADH fluorescence can be measured with high regional selectivity and specificity in hippocampal slices. Selective inhibition of mitochondrial complex I and uncoupling of energy metabolism differentially impair NADH concentration in different hippocampal areas.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗

PubMed1975

Multiple forms of cytochrome b in Mycobacterium phlei: kinetics of reduction.

The kinetics of reduction of the b-type cytochromes in the electron transport particles (ETP) from Mycobacterium phlei were studied with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH) or succinate as electron donors. There appeared to be three active cytochromes b in the ETP,bS563 and bS559, which were reducible by either substrate, and bN563, which was reducible by NADH but not by succinate. In the presence of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, a substantial increase in b563 reduction was observed with succinate at anaerobiosis. This was followed by a decrease in absorption. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate did not effect an increase in cytochrome b563 reduction at transition with NADH, but the occurrence of a secondary decrease in absorption was reflected in a decrease in total enzymatic reduction. The adenosine 5'-triphosphate effect was altered in trypsin-treated ETP, and abolished by uncoupling agents or by removal of the coupling factor-latent adenosine triphosphatase. In the presence of a supernatant fraction obtained during the preparation of the ETP, b563 reduction with succinate was greatly increased. A smaller increase was observed with NADH. Cytochrome b reduction was also studied in ETP inhibited by 2-n-nonylhydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, which appears to inhibit at bS563. On the basis of these data the interrelationships among the b-type cytochromes can be described in relation to the M. phlei electron transport chain.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1978

Adenosine triphosphate in the bovine chromaffin granule.

1. pH and potential gradients are generated across the membranes of chromaffin granule 'ghost' by incubating them with MgATP: the inside of the 'ghosts' is positive and acid with respect to the incubation medium. 2. The pH gradient is partially dissipated by inclusion of a substrate for the catecholamine pump, or a mitochondrial uncoupling agent, but is enhanced by reserpine. 3. An imposed pH gradient leads to amine uptake by the 'ghosts': a potential gradient leads to ATP uptake. Studies with inhibitors confirm that amine accumulation by chromaffin granules is dependent on the former, and that ATP uptake results from ATPase-induced potential difference generation. 4. ATP has two known roles in chromaffin granule structure: the first is as a substrate for a membrane-bound proton-translocating ATPase; the second is as a component of the intragranular catecholamine storage complex.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Isolation and some properties of mitochondria from yeast Candida lipolytica 695].

Mitochondria is obtained from yeast Candida lipolytica 695 grown in the presence of glucose, lactate or citrate. Yeast mitochondria were shown to be practically indistinguishable from animal tissue mitochondria in [ADP]/[O] values and in their sensitivity to electron transport inhibitors, to inhibitors and uncoupling agents of oxidative phosphorylation. The only exception was more low value of the respiration control under succinate oxidation. Mitochondria from yeast, grown in the presence of lactate or citrate were capable of the reduction of endogenous pyridine nucleotides under succinate oxidation for the expense of the reverse electron transport. No reverse electron transport from succinate to NAD(P) was observed in mitochondria from yeast grown in the presence of glucose, but it was found under oxidation of alpha-glycerophosphate. All three types of yeast mitochondria were not capable of the reverse electron transport coupled with the pyridine nucleotides reduction under lactate oxidation.

Candida↗

PubMed1989

The control of iron-induced oxidative damage in isolated rat-liver mitochondria by respiration state and ascorbate.

The reaction of iron (II) with H2O2 is believed to generate highly reactive species (e.g. .OH) capable of initiating biological damage. This study investigates the possibility that the severity of oxidative damage induced by iron in hepatic mitochondria is determined by the level of mitochondrial-H2O2 generation, which is believed to be particularly prominent in state-4 respiration. Iron-induced damage is found to be greater in state-4 than in state-3 respiration. Experiments using uncoupling agents and Ca++ to mimic state-3 conditions indicate that this effect reflects differences in the steady-state oxidation-level of the electron carriers of the respiratory chain (and hence the level of H2O2-generation), rather than changes in redox potential or transportation of the metal-ion. Evidence is also presented for a mechanism in which Fe(II) and H2O2 react inside the mitochondrial matrix. Ascorbate (vitamin C) is shown to be pro-oxidant in this system, except when present at very high concentration when it becomes antioxidant in nature.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

PubMed2003

Conduction slowing by the gap junctional uncoupler carbenoxolone.

BACKGROUND: Cellular electrical coupling is essential for normal propagation of the cardiac action potential, whereas reduced electrical coupling is associated with arrhythmias. Known cellular uncoupling agents have severe side effects on membrane ionic currents. We investigated the effect of carbenoxolone on cellular electrical coupling, membrane ionic currents, and atrial and ventricular conduction. METHODS AND RESULTS: In isolated rabbit left ventricular and right atrial myocytes, carbenoxolone (50 micromol/l) had no effect on action potential characteristics. Calcium, potassium, and sodium currents remained unchanged. Dual current clamp experiments on poorly coupled cell pairs revealed a 21+/-3% decrease in coupling conductance by carbenoxolone (mean+/-S.E.M., n=4, p<0.05). High-density activation mapping was performed in intact rabbit atrium and ventricle during Langendorff perfusion of the heart. The amplitude of the Laplacian of the electrograms, a measure of coupling current in intact hearts, decreased from 1.45+/-0.66 to 0.75+/-0.51 microA/mm(3) (mean+/-SD, n=32, p<0.05) after 15 min of carbenoxolone. Carbenoxolone reversibly decreased longitudinal and transversal conduction velocity from 66+/-15 to 49+/-16 cm/s and from 50+/-14 to 35+/-15 cm/s in ventricle, respectively (mean+/-SD, n=5, both p<0.05). In atrium, longitudinal and transversal conduction velocity decreased from 80+/-29 to 60+/-16 cm/s and from 49+/-10 to 38+/-10 cm/s (mean+/-SD, n=8, both p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Carbenoxolone-induced uncoupling causes atrial and ventricular conduction slowing without affecting cardiac membrane currents. Activation delay is larger in poorly coupled cells.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1976

Glucose transport in isolated prosthecae of Asticcacaulis biprosthecum.

Active transport of glucose in prosthecae isolated from cells of Asticcacaulis biprosthecum was stimulated by the non-physiological electron donor N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride. Glucose uptake was mediated by two transport systems; the apparent Km of the high-affinity system was 1.8 muM and that of the low-affinity system was 34 muM. Free glucose accumulated within prosthecae at a concentration 60 to 200 times above that present externally, depending on the Km of the system being observed. The glucose transport system in prosthecae was stereospecific for D-glucose, and neither methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside nor 2-deoxyglucose was transported. Uptake of glucose was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), and the inhibition by PCMB but not by NEM was reversed by dithiothreitol. Glucose uptake was also inhibited by the uncoupling agents 5-chloro-3-t-butyl-2'-nitrosalicylanilide (S-13), 5-chloro-3-(p-chlorophenyl)-4'-chlorosalicylanilide (S-6), and carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and by the respiratory inhibitor KCN. Efflux of glucose from preloaded prosthecae was induced by PCMB and KCN, but not by S-13 or CCCP. Glucose uptake was not affected by arsenate or an inhibitor of membrane-bound adenosine triphosphatases, N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The lack of inhibition by these two compounds, combined with the extremely low levels of adenosine 5'-triphosphate present in prosthecae, indicates that adenosine 5'-triphosphate is not involved in the transport of glucose by prosthecae.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1976

Anaerobic transport of amino acids coupled to the glycerol-3-phosphate-fumarate oxidoreductase system in a cytochrome-deficient mutant of Escherichia coli.

The uptake of proline and glutamine by cytochrome-deficient cells of Escherichia coli SASX76 grown aerobically on glucose or anaerobically on pyruvate was stimulated by these two substrates. Pyruvate could not stimulate transport in the glucose-grown cells. Uptake of these amino acids energized by glucose was inhibited by inhibitors of the Ca2+, Mg2+-stimulated ATPase such as DCCD, pyrophosphate, and azide, and by the uncouplers CCCP and 2,4-dinitrophenol. Glycerol (or glycerol 3-phosphate) in the presence of fumarate stimulated the transport of proline and glutamine under anaerobic conditions in cytochrome-deficient cells but not in membrane vesicles prepared from these cells although glycerol 3-phosphate-fumarate oxidoreductase activity could be demonstrated in the vesicle preparation. In contrast, in vesicles prepared from cytochrome-containing cells of E. coli SASX76 amino acid transport was energized under anaerobic conditions by this system. Inhibitors of the Ca2+, Mg2+-activated ATPase and uncoupling agents inhibited the uptake of proline and glutamine in cytochrome-deficient cells dependent on the glycerol-fumarate oxidoreductase system. Ferricyanide could replace fumarate as an electron acceptor to permit transport of phenylalanine in cytochrome-deficient or cytochrome-containing cells under anaerobic conditions. It is concluded that in cytochrome-deficient cells using glucose, pyruvate, or glycerol in the presence of fumarate, transport of both proline and glutamine under under anaerobic conditions is energized by ATP through the Ca2+, Mg2+-activated ATPase. In cytochrome-containing cells under anaerobic conditions electron transfer between glycerol and fumarate can also drive transport of these amino acids.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1975

The control of tricarboxylate-cycle oxidations in blowfly flight muscle. The oxidized and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide content of flight muscle and isolated mitochondria, the adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate content of mitochondria, and the energy status of the mitochondria during controlled respiration.

1. A study is presented of the mitochondrial NADH content during controlled (state 4) and active (state 3) pyruvate oxidation by blowfly flight-muscle mitochondria. The results confirm and extend those of an earlier study (Hansford, 1972), which indicated an increased reduction in state 3. Nicotinamide nucleotide is normally highly oxidized during state 4; however, there can be substantial reduction in the presence of carnitine or high concentrations of proline, or on lengthy incubation in the presence of either of the systems used to generate intramitochondrial tricarboxylate-cycle intermediate. 2. Omission of phosphate leads to substantial reduction and this can be reversed by adding phosphate or acetate. 3. Estimations of NAD-+ and NADH in fly thoraces show a marked increase in NADH on flight, tending to corroborate the results of mitochondrial experiments and testifying to the importance of dehydrogenase activation in this tissue. 4. Determination of intramitochondrial adenine nucleotides reveals a total of 4-5 nmol/mg of protein, and an ADP content of less than 0.1 nmol/mg during state 4 oxidation of pyruvate and proline. ATP content is found to increase slowly during state 4 and this is attributed to the net phosphorylation of AMP. 5. The uncoupling agent carbonyl cyanide p=trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone leads to hydrolysis of some, but not all, of the mitochondrial ATP. Studies of mitochondrial ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase), measured by external pH change, show that it is inactive unless the mitochondria are allowed to respire for several minutes in state 4 in the presence of phosphate before the addition of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. It is suggested that phosphate uptake is essential for maximal ATPase activity. 6. Studies of the fluorescence of the fluorochrome 8-anilino-1-naphthalensulphonic acid suggest that the energy status of the mitochondrion is high during state 4-pyruvate oxidattion, and decrease slightly in state 3. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

PubMed1971

Deficiency of uncoupler-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity in tightly coupled hepatoma mitochondria.

Tightly coupled mitochondria from the well-differentiated hepatoma 7800 failed to exhibit a significant 2,4-dinitrophenol-activated ATPase activity at concentrations of uncoupler sufficient to completely inhibit oxidative phosphorylation. ATPase activity could not be maximally activated by uncoupling agents more potent than 2,4-dinitrophenol, such as carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone and 5-chloro, 3-tert-butyl, 2'-chloro, 4'-nitrosalicylanilide, nor by Mg(++) after the following treatments: sonication, freezing, detergent lysis, and digestion with trypsin. Gel electrophoresis patterns of the membrane proteins of the hepatome mitochondria revealed neither an absence of any one of the three different types of ATPase subunits characteristic of the homogeneous enzyme purified from normal liver mitochondria, nor a deficiency of the oligomeric molecule. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that the supramolecular structure of the membrane ATPase complex of mitochondria from hepatoma 7800 is altered in such a way that its capacity for ATP hydrolysis is severely diminished.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1987

Determination of the P/2e- stoichiometries at the individual coupling sites in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Evidence for maximum values of 1.0, 0.5, and 1.0 at sites 1, 2, and 3.

P/2e- stoichiometries in six assay systems spanning different portions of the respiratory chain were estimated by direct determinations of Pi uptake in suspensions of bovine heart mitochondria containing a hexokinase trap. The electron donors were malate + pyruvate, succinate, and ascorbate + N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, and the electron acceptors were ferricyanide (Site 1, Site 2, and Sites 1 + 2) and O2 (Sites 1 + 2 + 3, Sites 2 + 3, and Site 3). A major objective was to find conditions in which the six systems yield results in sufficiently good agreement to allow confidence as to their reliability. This objective was achieved, and maximum values of 1.1, 0.5, and 1.0 were observed in the Sites 1, 2, and 3 systems, respectively. This required that the energy-conserving reactions be relatively nonlimiting and that the P/2e- ratios be estimated from the slopes of plots of respiration rate versus phosphorylation rate obtained by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation with respiratory chain inhibitors. The latter requirement allows avoidance of the effect of an apparent endogenous uncoupler and is based on the observation (Tsou, C. S., and Van Dam, K. (1969) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 172, 174-176) that uncoupling agents at low concentrations decrease the rate of phosphorylation nearly as much in absolute amount at low rates of respiration as at high rates. The maximum P/2e- stoichiometry at Site 1 is considered to be 1.0, and the value observed in the Site 1 system is suggested to be higher as a result of H+ ejection at the transhydrogenase level. Respiratory control due to carboxyatractyloside inhibition was examined and found to differ greatly among the systems. It is pointed out that this observation is not consistent with the lack of complete control being due primarily to ion cycling and that, in view of this, the relatively meager control at Site 3 is not consistent with O2 being reduced on the matrix side of the coupling membrane.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Separation of phenylalanine transport events by using selective inhibitors, and identification of a specific uncoupler activity in Yersinia pestis.

Phenylalanine transport in Yersinia pestis TJW was differentially inhibited by sulfhydryl blocking reagents, uncoupling agents, and respiratory inhibitors. Kinetic studies with potassium cyanide and sodium azide showed that these compounds have no immediate effect on the initial rate of phenylalanine transport, but have an immediate and severe inhibitory effect on the rate of oxygen uptake. Identical studies with p-chloromercuribenzoate (pCMB) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) showed that these compounds have an instantaneous and total inhibitory effect on phenylalanine transport. DNP stimulated oxygen uptake, and pCMB caused only a sluggish inhibiton of oxygen uptake. pCMB acted as a competitive inhibitor of phenylalanine transport, whereas DNP inhibitied noncompetitively. Arrenius plots of the initial rate of phenylalanine transport in pCMB- and DNP-treated cells showed that DNP alters the transition temperature of the phenylalanine transport system from 17 C for control cells to 12 C. DNP did not inhibit transport when cells were treated at temperatures of 2 to 10 C. PCMB did not alter the normal transition temperature and inhibited phenylalanine transport over a 2 to 30 C temperature range. Efflux induced by both pCMB and DNP were blocked by placing cells at low temperatures (2 to 20 C). Inhibition of adenosine 5'-triphosphate synthesis by DNP did not show any temperature sensitivity as did phenylalanine transport. These data indicate that: (i) respiration is not obligatory for active transport of phenylalanine in Y. pestis TJW; and (ii) pCMB inhibits transport activity by reacting with the sulfhydryl group(s) at the carrier binding site. The data show that the uncoupler, DNP, selectively alters a temperature-dependent property of phenylalanine transport, that is not related to uncoupling activity of DNP , and probably involves membrane lipid alterations.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1998

Reduced Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria in pyruvate dehydrogenase-deficient human diploid fibroblasts.

Physiological and pathological Ca2+ loads are thought to be taken up by mitochondria via a process dependent on aerobic metabolism. We sought to determine whether human diploid fibroblasts from a patient with an inherited defect in pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) exhibit a decreased ability to sequester cytosolic Ca2+ into mitochondria. Mobilization of Ca2+ stores with bradykinin (BK) increased the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) to comparable levels in control and PDH-deficient fibroblasts. In normal fibroblasts transfected with plasmid DNA encoding mitochondrion-targeted apoaequorin, BK elicited an increase in Ca2(+)-dependent aequorin luminescence corresponding to an increase in the mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]mt) of 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM. The mitochondrial uncoupling agent carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone blocked the BK-induced [Ca2+]mt increase, although it did not affect the [Ca2+]c transient. Basal [Ca2+]c and [Ca2+]mt in control and PDH-deficient cells were similar. However, confocal imaging of the potential-sensitive dye JC-1 indicated that the percentage of highly polarized mitochondria was reduced from 30 +/- 1% in normal cells to 19 +/- 2% in the PDH-deficient fibroblasts. BK-elicited [Ca2+]mt transients in PDH-deficient cells were reduced to 4% of control, indicating that PDH-deficient mitochondria have a decreased ability to take up cytosolic Ca2+. Thus cells with compromised aerobic metabolism have a reduced capacity to sequester Ca2+.

Aequorin↗

PubMed1981

Active transport of charged substrates by a proton/sugar co-transport system. Amino-sugar uptake in the yeast Rhodotorula gracilis.

1. In the yeast Rhodotorula gracilis several amino sugars were actively transported. Glucosamine, which is largely protonated at physiological pH (pK 7.75) was used as a model substrate. At pH 6.75 its half-saturation constant was 1 mM and the maximal velocity was 50 nmol/min per mg dry wt. 2. Amino sugars were taken up via the monosaccharide carrier. The transport of glucosamine was strongly restricted by monosaccharides. D-Xylose inhibited competitively the uptake of glucosamine. The inhibition constant was 1 mM. Cells preloaded with D-xylose showed exchange transport on subsequent addition of glucosamine. 3. Transport of glucosamine was energized by the membrane potential. Uncoupling agents such as carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone and the lipophilic cation TPP+ (tetraphenylphosphonium ion) at concentrations that depolarized the membrane potential inhibited the uptake of glucosamine. Conversely the transport of glucosamine partly dissipated the membrane potential, which was monitored by radioactively labelled lipophilic cations. 4. The translocated charges were electrically compensated by the extrusion of protons and K+ (1 glucosamine molecule/0.85 H+ + 0.15 K+). 5. An increase of the pH in the range 4.75-8.75 lead to a decrease of the half-saturation constant from 5 mM to 1 mM and to an optimum of the maximal velocity at pH 6.75. We suggest that this fair constancy is due to the carrier not distinguishing between the protonated form of glucosamine (pH less than 7.75) and the deprotonated form (pH greater than 7.75). The increase of V(T) (maximal transport velocity) between pH 4.75 and 6.75 is due to the increase of the membrane potential: the decrease between pH 6.75 and 8.75 is due to the deprotonization of the carrier.

Amino Sugars↗

PubMed2000

Activation of glucose transport by AMP-activated protein kinase via stimulation of nitric oxide synthase.

Glucose transport in skeletal muscle is stimulated by two distinct stimuli, insulin and exercise. The mechanism by which exercise stimulates glucose transport is not known, although it is distinct from the insulin-mediated pathway. Recently, it has been shown that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated by exercise in skeletal muscle, whereas pharmacological activation of AMPK by 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside (AICAR) leads to increased glucose transport. It has been postulated, therefore, that AMPK may be the link between exercise and glucose transport. To address this, we have examined the signaling pathway involved in the stimulation of glucose uptake after activation of AMPK. Here we show that activation of AMPK by AICAR in rat muscle and mouse H-2Kb muscle cells activates glucose transport approximately twofold. AMPK in H-2Kb cells is also activated by hyperosmotic stress and the mitochondrial uncoupling agent, dinitrophenol, both of which lead to increased glucose transport. In contrast, insulin, which activates glucose transport two- to-threefold in both rat muscle and H-2Kb cells, has no effect on AMPK activity. A previous study has shown that AMPK phosphorylates and activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS). We show here that NOS activity in H-2Kb cells is activated after stimulation of AMPK by AICAR. Treatment of H-2Kb cells or rat muscle with NOS inhibitors completely blocks the increase in glucose transport after activation of AMPK. In addition, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase also blocks activation of glucose transport by AICAR in H-2Kb cells. These results indicate that activation of AMPK in muscle cells stimulates glucose transport by activation of NOS coupled to downstream signaling components, including cyclic GMP.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1980

Restoration of active transport of solutes and oxidative phosphorylation by naphthoquinones in irradiated membrane vesicles from Mycobacterium phlei.

Irradiation of the inverted membrane vesicles of Mycobacterium phlei with light at 360 nm inactivated the natural menaquinone [MK(9)(II-H)] and resulted in a loss of substrate oxidation, pH gradient, membrane potential, active transport of proline or calcium ions, and oxidative phosphorylation. Restoration of the protonmotive force and active transport occurred on addition of naphthoquinones such as vitamin K(1), menadione, or lapachol to the irradiated membrane vesicles. However, coupled phosphorylation was restored only by vitamin K(1). Menadione and lapachol did not act as uncoupling agents. The magnitude of the pH gradient and membrane potential in the quinone-restored system was a reflection of the rate of oxidation and was correlated with the rate of uptake of proline or Ca(2+). These results are consistent with the chemosmotic hypothesis proposed for the energy transducing mechanism for active transport and further demonstrate that the complete respiratory chain is not required to drive active transport. In contrast, the data suggest that in addition to the driving force (protonmotive force) necessary to establish oxidative phosphorylation, a specific spatial orientation of the respiratory components, such as the naphthaquinones, is essential for the utilization of the proton gradient or membrane potential or both. Bypass of electrons from the respiratory chain with menadione may explain the inability of this quinone to restore oxidative phosphorylation; however, lapachol restores oxidation by the same electron transport pathway as the natural menaquinone but fails to restore phosphorylation. Because all three quinones restore the protonmotive force, other factors that are discussed must be considered in understanding the mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation.

Biological Transport, Active↗

PubMed1984

Inositol trisphosphate mediates thyrotropin-releasing hormone mobilization of nonmitochondrial calcium in rat mammotropic pituitary cells.

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation of prolactin secretion from GH3 cells, cloned rat pituitary tumor cells, is associated with 1) hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to yield inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) and 2) elevation of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i), caused in part by mobilization of cellular calcium. We demonstrate, in intact cells, that TRH mobilizes calcium and, in permeabilized cells, that InsP3 releases calcium from a nonmitochondrial pool(s). In intact cells, TRH caused a loss of 16 +/- 2.7% of cell-associated 45Ca which was not inhibited by depleting the mitochondrial calcium pool with uncoupling agents. Similarly, TRH caused an elevation of [Ca2+]i from 127 +/- 6.3 nM to 375 +/- 54 nM, as monitored with Quin 2, which was not inhibited by depleting mitochondrial calcium. Saponin-permeabilized cells accumulated Ca2+ in an ATP-dependent manner into a nonmitochondrial pool, which exhibited a high affinity for Ca2+ and a small capacity, and into a mitochondrial pool which had a lower affinity for Ca2+ but was not saturated under the conditions tested. Permeabilized cells buffered free Ca2+ to 129 +/- 9.2 nM when incubated in a cytosol-like solution initially containing 200 to 1000 nM free Ca2+. InsP3, but not other inositol sugars, released calcium from the nonmitochondrial pool(s); half-maximal effect occurred at approximately 1 microM InsP3. Ca2+ release was followed by reuptake into a nonmitochondrial pool(s). These data suggest that InsP3 serves as an intracellular mediator (or second messenger) of TRH action to mobilize calcium from a nonmitochondrial pool(s) leading to an elevation of [Ca2+]i and then to prolactin secretion.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Dicarboxylic acid transport in membrane vesicles from Bacillus subtilis.

Membrane vesicles isolated from Bacillus subtilis W23 catalyze active transport of the C4 dicarboxylic acids L-malate, fumarate, and succinate under aerobic conditions in the presence of the electron donor reduced beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or the non-physiological electron donor system ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate. The dicarboxylic acids are accumulated in unmodified form. Inhibitors of the respiratory chain, sulfhydryl reagents, and uncoupling agents inhibit the accumulation of the dicarboxylic acids. The affinity constants for transport of L-malate, fumarate, and succinate are 13.5, 7.5, and 4.3 muM, respectively; these values are severalfold lower than those reported previously for whole cells. Active transport of these dicarboxylic acids occurs via one highly specific transport system as is indicated by the following observations. (i) Each dicarboxylic acid inhibits the transport of the other two dicarboxylic acids competitively. (ii) The affinity constants determined for the inhibitory action are very similar to those determined for the transport process. (iii) Each dicarboxylic acid exchanges rapidly with a previously accumulated dicarboxylic acid. (iv) Other metabolically and structurally related compounds do not inhibit transport of these dicarboxylic acids significantly, except for L-aspartate and L-glutamate. However, transport of these dicarboxylic amino acids is mediated by independent system because membrane vesicles from B. subtilis 60346, lacking functional dicarboxylic amino acid transport activity, accumulate the C4 dicarboxylic acids at even higher rates than vesicles from B. subtilis W 23. (v) A constant ratio exists between the initial rates of transport of L-malate, fumarate, and succinate in all membrane vesicle preparations isolated from cells grown on various media. This high-affinity dicarboxylic acid transport system seems to be present constitutively in B. subtilis W23.

Aerobiosis↗