A ubiquinone derivative that inhibits mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex but not chloroplast cytochrome b6-f complex activity

Abstract

A ubiquinone derivative, 3-chloro-5-hydroxyl-2-methyl-6-decyl- 1,4-benzoquinone (3-CHMDB), which shows different effects on the mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex and chloroplast cytochrome b6-f complex, has been synthesized and characterized. When the cytochrome b-c1 complex is treated with varying concentrations of 3-CHMDB and assayed at constant substrate (Q2H2) concentration, a 50% inhibition is observed when 2 mol of 3-CHMDB per mol of enzyme are used. The degree of inhibition is dependent on the substrate concentration. When ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase is treated with 2 mol of 3-CHMDB per mol of enzyme, less inhibition is observed with a lower substrate concentration, suggesting the possible existence of two forms of reductases: one with a high affinity for ubiquinone and another with a low affinity. 2-Chloro-5-hydroxyl-3-methyl-6-decyl-1,4-benzoquinone (2-CHMDB), an isomer of 3-CHMDB, shows much less inhibition of the mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex, suggesting that the quinone binding site in this complex is highly specific. In contrast to the inhibition observed with the cytochrome b-c1 complex, 3-CHMDB causes no inhibition of the plastoquinol-plastocyanin reductase activity of chloroplast cytochrome b6-f complex, regardless of whether plastoquinol-2 or ubiquinol-2 is used as substrate. 3-CHMDB restores the dibromothymoquinone-altered EPR spectra of iron-sulfur protein in both complexes. In the case of the cytochrome b6-f complex, 3-CHMDB also partially restores the dibromothymoquinone-inhibited activity. Reduced form 3- or 2-CHMDB is oxidizable by the cytochrome b6-f complex, but not by the cytochrome b-c1 complex. These results suggest that the quinol oxidizing sites in the cytochrome b6-f complex may differ from those in the mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex.