valinomycin and malonic-acid

OxlT, a secondary carrier found in Oxalobacter formigenes, mediates the exchange of divalent oxalate and monovalent formate. Because OxlT has an unusually high turnover number (greater than or equal to 1000/s), and because formate, one its substrates, shows high passive membrane permeability as formic acid, it has been difficult to obtain information on protein-substrate interactions using traditional methods in membrane biology. For this reason, we devised a new way to measure substrate dissociation constants. Detergent-solubilized material was exposed to inactivating temperatures in the absence or presence of OxlT substrates, and periodic reconstitution was used to monitor the kinetics of thermal decay. The data were consistent with a simple scheme in which only unliganded OxlT was temperature-sensitive; this premise, along with the assumption of equilibrium between liganded and unliganded species, allowed calculation of substrate dissociation constants for oxalate (18 +/- 3 microM), malonate (1.2 +/- 0.2 mM), and formate (3.1 +/- 0.6 mM). Further analysis revealed that substrate binding energy contributed at least 3.5 kcal/mol to stabilization of solubilized OxlT. Accordingly, we suggest that substrate binding energy is directly involved in driving protein structure reorganization during membrane transport. This new approach to analyzing protein-substrate interactions may have wider application in the study of membrane carriers.

Topics: Anions; Biological Transport; Cell Membrane; Formates; Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria; Hot Temperature; Kinetics; Malonates; Membrane Proteins; Oxalates; Substrate Specificity; Valinomycin

The upper and lower limits of the mechanistic stoichiometry (n) of electric charge translocation coupled to mitochondrial electron transport have been determined for the oxidation of succinate and beta-hydroxybutyrate using a recently described method (Beavis, A. D., and Lehninger, A. L. (1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 158, 307-314). This method requires no assumptions regarding the magnitude of proton leakage or pump slippage, but it takes advantage of the ability to predict the direction of change as the coupled fluxes are modulated by specific means. In this study, the rates of K+ uptake (JK) and O2 consumption (JO) were determined from simultaneous electrode measurements in the presence of various concentrations of valinomycin or inhibitors of electron flow. When valinomycin is varied, the rate of proton leakage or pump slippage should decrease as JO increases, with the result that the slope dJK/dJO will be greater than n. On the other hand, when an inhibitor of electron flow is varied, the rate of proton leakage or pump slippage should increase as JO increases, with the result that the slope dJK/dJO should be less than n. The data obtained using this approach indicate that n lies between 6.7 and 7.3 for succinate oxidation and between 10.2 and 11.7 for beta-hydroxybutyrate (or NADH) oxidation. It is concluded that the mechanistic stoichiometry of charge separation coupled to electron flow is 7 q+/O in the span from succinate to oxygen and 11 q+/O in the span from NADH to oxygen. These conclusions are fully consistent with the limits of the mechanistic ATP/O ratios previously determined for these spans (Beavis, A. D., and Lehninger, A. L. (1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 158, 315-322).

Topics: 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; Animals; Electron Transport; Hydroxybutyrates; Kinetics; Malonates; Mathematics; Mitochondria, Liver; NAD; Oxygen Consumption; Potassium; Rats; Valinomycin

The dependence of the proton flux through the ATP synthases of rat liver mitochondria on a driving force composed mainly of a potassium diffusion potential was determined and compared with the relationship between rate of phosphorylation and delta mu H given by titrations with the respiratory inhibitor malonate. The two functions are in good agreement in the lower part of the delta mu H range covered. However, the maximal proton fluxes through the ATP synthases are much lower than needed to account for the rate of State 3 phosphorylation sustained by the same mitochondria oxidizing succinate. Possible reasons for this behavior are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Diffusion; Malonates; Mathematics; Mitochondria, Liver; Models, Chemical; Osmolar Concentration; Oxidative Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation; Potassium; Proton-Translocating ATPases; Protons; Rats; Succinates; Succinic Acid; Valinomycin

We have confirmed that the respiration rate of rat liver mitochondria can be substantially inhibited with only a small drop in proton motive force. We have directly measured the passive proton permeability as a function of delta psi by using K+ diffusion potentials and have shown that there is a large increase in proton permeability at high delta psi. This can quantitatively account for the inhibitor titrations of respiration. delta psi and delta pH were shown to have roughly equal effects on the relatively high respiration rate in static head. The permeabilities to K+, tetramethylammonium+ and choline+ were shown to increase greatly at high delta psi, in a similar way to proton permeability, indicating a similar mechanism of entry.

Topics: Animals; Cations; Cell Membrane Permeability; Female; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Malonates; Membrane Potentials; Mitochondria, Liver; Oxygen Consumption; Potassium Chloride; Protons; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Valinomycin