Bovine Submitochondrial Particles Research Articles

The inhibitor protein IF1 from mammalian mitochondria inhibits ATP hydrolysis but not ATP synthesis by the ATP synthase complex

The hydrolytic activity of the ATP synthase in bovine mitochondria is inhibited by a protein called IF1, but bovine IF1 has no effect on the synthetic activity of the bovine enzyme in mitochondrial vesicles in the presence of a proton motive force. In contrast, it has been suggested based on indirect observations that human IFI inhibits both the hydrolytic and synthetic activities of the human ATP synthase, and that the activity of human IF1 is regulated by the phosphorylation of serine-14 of mature IF1. Here, we have made both human and bovine IF1 which are 81 and 84 amino acids long, respectively, and identical in 71.4% of their amino acids, and have investigated their inhibitory effects on the hydrolytic and synthetic activities of ATP synthase in bovine sub-mitochondrial particles. Over a wide range of conditions, including physiological conditions, both human and bovine IF1 are potent inhibitors of ATP hydrolysis, with no effect on ATP synthesis. Also, substitution of serine-14 with phosphomimetic aspartic and glutamic acids had no effect on inhibitory properties, and serine-14 is not conserved throughout mammals. Therefore, it is unlikely that the inhibitory activity of mammalian IF1 is regulated by phosphorylation of this residue.

Photoaffinity Labeling of Respiratory Complex I in Bovine Heart Submitochondrial Particles by Photoreactive [125I] amilorides.

The architecture of quinone/inhibitor-access channel in proton-translocating NADH-quinone oxidoreductase (respiratory complex I) was modeled by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, however, it remains debatable whether the channel model reflects the physiologically relevant state present throughout the catalytic cycle. Using photoreactive [125I]amilorides, we demonstrated that amiloride-type inhibitors bind to the interfacial region of multiple subunits (49-kDa, ND1, PSST, and 39-kDa subunits), which is difficult to reconcile with the current channel model. This report describes the procedures for photoaffinity labeling of bovine submitochondrial particles by photoreactive [125I]amilorides. The protocol could be widely applicable for the characterization of various biologically active compounds, whose target protein remains to be identified or characterized.

The proximal N-terminal amino acid residues are required for the coupling activity of the bovine heart mitochondrial factor B

Treatment of the recombinant bovine factor B with trypsin yielded a fragment (amino acid residues 62–175) devoid of coupling activity. Removal of the N-terminal Trp2–Gly3–Trp4 peptide resulted in a significant loss of coupling activity in the FBΔW2−W4 deletion mutant. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation demonstrated co-sedimentation of recombinant factor B with the ADP/ATP carrier, which is present in preparations of H+-translocating F0F1-ATPase, but not in preparations of complex V. The N-terminally truncated factor B mutant FBΔW2−W4 did not co-sediment with the ADP/ATP carrier. Recombinant factor B co-sedimented with partially purified membrane sector F0, extracted from F1-stripped bovine submitochondrial particles with n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside. Factor B inhibited the passive proton conductance catalyzed by F0 reconstituted into asolectin liposomes. A factor B mutant, bearing a photoreactive unnatural amino acid pbenzoyl-l-phenylalanine (pBpa) substituted for Trp2, cross-linked with F0 subunits e and g as well as the ADP/ATP carrier. These results suggest that the N-terminal domain and, in particular, the proximal N-terminal amino acids are important for the coupling activity and protein–protein interactions of bovine factor B.

Total synthesis of 27-hydroxy-bullatacin and its C-15 epimer, and studies on their inhibitory effect on bovine heart mitochondrial complex I functions

The total synthesis of 27-hydroxybullatacin and its C-15 epimer has been achieved using rhenium(VII) oxides-mediated and Co(modp) 2-catalyzed oxidative cyclization (OC), diastereoselective alkynylation, Brown's enantioselective allylboration, and Grubbs' cross metathesis as the key reactions. The inhibitory effect of these compounds on the complex I function, as determined by using bovine submitochondrial particles, was in low nanomolar range.

A New Ubiquinone Metabolite and Its Activity at the Mitochondrial bc1 Complex

Ubichromanol, a reductive cyclization product of ubiquinone, acts as radical scavenging antioxidant and is similarly effective as alpha-tocopherol. However, nothing is known so far on the two-electron oxidation product of this antioxidant and its bioactivity. This study demonstrates that ubichromanol yields a ubiquinone-like compound with a hydroxyl-substituted side chain (UQOH) on oxidation. HPLC/MS and HPLC/ECD measurements revealed its natural presence in bovine liver mitochondria. The bioactivity of this formerly unknown compound as substrate for mitochondrial complex III was tested by measurements of the quinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase activity in bovine submitochondrial particles and isolated mitochondrial bc1 complex. Consistently in both model systems, reduced UQOH exhibited substrate efficiencies below that of native ubiquinone but a significantly higher efficiency than alpha-tocopheryl quinone. Model calculations revealed that on binding of reduced UQOH to the bc1 complex the polar hydroxyl group was located close to hydrophobic amino acid residues. This fact could in part explain the lower efficiency of reduced UQOH in comparison to ubiquinone as a substrate for the mitochondrial bc1 complex. Therefore, the hydroxylation of the aliphatic or isoprenoid side chains of bioquinones, which is typical for quinoid oxidation products of chromanols, such as alpha-tocopherol and ubichromanol, disturbs substrate binding at the mitochondrial electron-transfer complexes, which usually interact with ubiquinone.

Amiloride inhibition of the proton-translocating NADH-quinone oxidoreductase of mammals and bacteria

The proton-translocating NADH-quinone oxidoreductase in mitochondria (complex I) and bacteria (NDH-1) was shown to be inhibited by amiloride derivatives that are known as specific inhibitors for Na +/H + exchangers. In bovine submitochondrial particles, the effective concentrations were about the same as those for the Na +/H + exchangers, whereas in bacterial membranes the inhibitory potencies were lower. These results together with our earlier observation that the amiloride analogues prevent labeling of the ND5 subunit of complex I with a fenpyroximate analogue suggest the involvement of ND5 in H + (Na +) translocation and no direct involvement of electron carriers in H + (Na +) translocation.

The ND5 subunit was labeled by a photoaffinity analogue of fenpyroximate in bovine mitochondrial complex I.

Fenpyroximate is a potent inhibitor of the mitochondrial proton-translocating NADH-quinone oxidoreductase (complex I). We synthesized its photoaffinity analogue [(3)H](trifluoromethyl)phenyldiazirinylfenpyroximate ([(3)H]TDF). When bovine heart submitochondrial particles (SMP) were illuminated with UV light in the presence of [(3)H]TDF, radioactivity was mostly incorporated into a 50 kDa band. There was a good correlation between radioactivity labeling of the 50 kDa band and inhibition of the NADH oxidase activity, indicating that a 50 kDa protein is responsible for the inactivation of complex I. Blue native gel electrophoresis of the [(3)H]TDF-labeled SMP revealed that the majority of radioactivity was found in complex I. Analysis of the complex I band on an SDS gel showed a major peak of radioactivity at approximately 50 kDa. There are three subunits in complex I that migrate in this region: FP51K, IP49K, and ND5. Further analysis using the 2D gel electrophoresis implied that the labeled protein was the ND5 subunit. Labeling of the ND5 subunit was stimulated by NADH/NADPH but was prevented by various complex I inhibitors. Amiloride derivatives that are known to be inhibitors of Na(+)/H(+) antiporters also diminished the labeling. In agreement with the protective effect, we observed that the amiloride derivatives inhibited NADH-ubiquinone-1 reductase activity but not NADH-K(3)Fe(CN)(6) reductase activity in bovine SMP. These results suggest that the ND5 subunit is involved in construction of the inhibitor- and quinone-binding site(s). Furthermore, it seems likely that the ND5 subunit may participate in H(+)(Na(+)) translocation in coupling site 1.

Factor B and the Mitochondrial ATP Synthase Complex

Factor B is a subunit of the mammalian ATP synthase complex, whose existence has been controversial. This paper describes the molecular and functional properties of a recombinant human factor B, which when added to bovine submitochondrial particles depleted of their factor B restores the energy coupling activity of the ATP synthase complexes. The mature human factor B has 175 amino acids and a molecular mass of 20,341 Da. The preparation is water-soluble, monomeric, and is inactivated by monothiol- and especially dithiol-modifying reagents, probably reacting at its cysteine residues Cys-92 and Cys-94. A likely factor B gene composed of 5 exons has been identified on chromosome 14q21.3, and the functional role of factor B in the mammalian ATP synthase complex has been discussed.

Three Classes of Inhibitors Share a Common Binding Domain in Mitochondrial Complex I (NADH:Ubiquinone Oxidoreductase)

We have developed two independent methods to measure equilibrium binding of inhibitors to membrane-bound and partially purified NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) to characterize the binding sites for the great variety of hydrophobic compounds acting on this large and complicated enzyme. Taking advantage of a partial quench of fluorescence upon binding of the fenazaquin-type inhibitor 2-decyl-4-quinazolinyl amine to complex I in bovine submitochondrial particles, we determined a Kd of 17 +/- 3 nM and one binding site per complex I. Equilibrium binding studies with [3H]dihydrorotenone and the aminopyrimidine [3H]AE F119209 (4(cis-4-[3H]isopropyl cyclohexylamino)-5-chloro-6-ethyl pyrimidine) using partially purified complex I from Musca domestica exhibited little unspecific binding and allowed reliable determination of dissociation constants. Competition experiments consistently demonstrated that all tested hydrophobic inhibitors of complex I share a common binding domain with partially overlapping sites. Although the rotenone site overlaps with both the piericidin A and the capsaicin site, the latter two sites do not overlap. This is in contrast to the interpretation of enzyme kinetics that have previously been used to define three classes of complex I inhibitors. The existence of only one large inhibitor binding pocket in the hydrophobic part of complex I is discussed in the light of possible mechanisms of proton translocation.

Differential inhibition of the yeast bc1 complex by phenanthrolines and ferroin. Implications for structure and catalytic mechanism.

o-Phenanthroline and m-phenanthroline both inhibit the electron transfer activity of lauryl maltoside-solubilized yeast bc1 complex progressively with time. Pre-steady-state kinetics indicate that these compounds bind to the complex on the intermembrane space side, thereby blocking reduction of cytochrome b via the ubiquinol oxidation site. o-Phenanthroline is additionally capable of chelating an iron atom derived from the Rieske Fe-S cluster, thereby distorting the structure of the Rieske protein. EPR analysis shows that the secondary effect of o-phenanthroline occurs after initial inactivation and that m-phenanthroline, which lacks chelating activity, does not affect the Rieske Fe-S cluster. Spectral analysis shows that the b and c1 cytochromes are still dithionite-reducible after inactivation by o-phenanthroline, indicating that they remain intact. Inactivation by o-phenanthroline can be prevented by the addition of Fe2+. Surprisingly, ferroin, the o-phenanthroline-ferrous sulfate complex, also inhibits the bc1 complex activity. In contrast to o-phenanthroline, this effect is instantaneous. The two types of inhibition are clearly distinguishable by pre-steady-state reduction kinetics. Interestingly, ferroin can only inhibit electron transfer activity by about 50%. This behavior is discussed in relation to the dimeric structure of the bc1 complex, and we conclude that ferroin binds to only one of the two protomers. The rate of inactivation by o-phenanthroline is dependent on the incubation temperature and can be quantitated in terms of the half-life for a certain temperature, the time at which the bc1 activity is reduced to 50%. In contrast to the solubilized form, the bc1 complex in intact mitochondria is insensitive to o-phenanthroline, suggesting that the inactivation rate by o-phenanthroline is dependent on accessibility of the complex to the agent. Reaction with o-phenanthroline is thus a useful technique for study of structural stability of the bc1 complex under different conditions and should provide a sensitive tool for determination of the relative stability of mutant enzymes.

Membrane Topography and Near-neighbor Relationships of the Mitochondrial ATP Synthase Subunits e, f, and g

The well characterized subunits of the bovine ATP synthase complex are the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon subunits of the catalytic sector, F1; the ATPase inhibitor protein; and subunits a, b, c, and d, OSCP (oligomycin sensitivity-conferring protein), F6, and A6L, which are present in the membrane sector, F0, and the 45-A-long stalk that connects F1 to F0. It has been shown recently that bovine ATP synthase preparations also contain three small polypeptides, designated e, f, and g, with respective molecular masses of 8.2, 10. 2, and 11.3 kDa. To ascertain their involvement as bona fide subunits of the ATP synthase and to investigate their membrane topography and proximity to the above ATP synthase subunits, polyclonal antipeptide antibodies were raised in the rabbit to the COOH-terminal amino acid residues 57-70 of e, 75-86 of f, and 91-102 of g. It was shown that (i) e, f, and g could be immunoprecipitated with anti-OSCP IgG from a fraction of bovine submitochondrial particles enriched in oligomycin-sensitive ATPase; (ii) the NH2 termini of f and g are exposed on the matrix side of the mitochondrial inner membrane and can be curtailed by proteolysis; (iii) the COOH termini of all three polypeptides are exposed on the cytosolic side of the inner membrane; and (iv) f cross-links to A6L and to g, and e cross-links to g and appears to form an e-e dimer. Thus, the bovine ATP synthase complex appears to have 16 unlike subunits, twice as many as its counterpart in Escherichia coli.

Steady-state kinetics of the reduction of coenzyme Q analogs by complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) in bovine heart mitochondria and submitochondrial particles.

The reduction kinetics of coenzyme Q (CoQ, ubiquinone) by NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I, EC 1.6.99.3) was investigated in bovine heart mitochondrial membranes using water-soluble homologs and analogs of the endogenous ubiquinone acceptor CoQ10 [the lower homologs from CoQ0 to CoQ3, the 6-pentyl (PB) and 6-decyl (DB) analogs, and duroquinone]. By far the best substrates in bovine heart submitochondrial particles are CoQ1 and PB. The kinetics of NADH-CoQ reductase was investigated in detail using CoQ1 and PB as acceptors. The kinetic pattern follows a ping-pong mechanism; the Km for CoQ1 is in the range of 20 microM but is reversibly increased to 60 microM by extraction of the endogenous CoQ10. The increased Km in CoQ10-depleted membranes indicates that endogenous ubiquinone not only does not exert significant product inhibition but rather is required for the appropriate structure of the acceptor site. The much lower Vmax with CoQ2 but not with DB as acceptor, associated with an almost identical Km, suggests that the sites for endogenous ubiquinone bind 6-isoprenyl- and 6-alkylubiquinones with similar affinity, but the mode of electron transfer is less efficient with CoQ2. The Kmin (kcat/Km) for CoQ1 is 4 orders of magnitude lower than the bimolecular collisional constant calculated from fluorescence quenching of membrane probes; moreover, the activation energy calculated from Arrhenius plots of kmin is much higher than that of the collisional quenching constants. These observations strongly suggest that the interaction of the exogenous quinones with the enzyme is not diffusion-controlled. Contrary to other systems, in bovine submitochondrial particles, CoQ1 usually appears to be able to support a rate approaching that of endogenous CoQ10, as shown by application of the "pool equation" [Kröger, A., & Klingenberg, M. (1973) Eur. J. Biochem. 39, 313-323] relating the rate of ubiquinone reduction to the rate of ubiquinol oxidation and the overall rate through the ubiquinone pool.

Translocation of Loops Regulates Transport Activity of Mitochondrial ADP/ATP Carrier Deduced from Formation of a Specific Intermolecular Disulfide Bridge Catalyzed by Copper-o-Phenanthroline

The cross-linking reagent copper-o-phenanthroline complex (Cu(OP)2) specifically caused a decrease in the amount of the 30-kDa ADP/ATP carrier in bovine submitochondrial particles associated predominantly with formation of a 60-kDa protein consisting of a cross-linked dimer of the carrier. However, Cu(OP)2 had no effect on mitochondria. The transport of ADP via the carrier through submitochondrial particle membranes was found to be inhibited in parallel with the progress of intermolecular cross-linking. Analysis of the cross-linked site showed that a disulfide bridge was formed only between two Cys56 residues in a pair of the first loops facing the matrix space. The transport inhibitor bongkrekic acid, which locks the m-state conformation of the carrier, had no effect on disulfide bridge formation catalyzed by Cu(OP)2, but carboxyatractyloside, which locks the c-state conformation by acting from the cytosolic side, completely inhibited the cross-linking. These results show that the ADP/ATP carrier functions as a dimer form, and a pair of the first loops protrudes into the matrix space in the m-state, but possibly intrudes into the membrane in the c-state. Thus, it is suggested that a pair of the first loops acts as a gate and that its opening and closing are regulated by their translocation.

Natural substances (acetogenins) from the family Annonaceae are powerful inhibitors of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase (Complex I)

Natural products from the plants of the family Annonaceae, collectively called Annonaceous acetogenins, are very potent inhibitors of the NADH-ubiquinone reductase (Complex I) activity of mammalian mitochondria. The properties of five of such acetogenins are compared with those of rotenone and piericidin, classical potent inhibitors of Complex I. Rolliniastatin-1 and rolliniastatin-2 are more powerful than piericidin in terms of both their inhibitory constant and the protein-dependence of their titre in bovine submitochondrial particles. These acetogenins could be considered therefore the most potent inhibitors of mammalian Complex I. Squamocin and otivarin also have an inhibitory constant lower than that of piericidin, but display a larger protein-dependence of the titre. Squamocin and otivarin, contrary to the other acetogenins, behave qualitatively like rotenone. Rolliniastatin-2 shows unique properties as its interaction, although mutually exclusive to that of piericidin, appears to be mutually non-exclusive to that of rotenone. It is the first time that a potent inhibitor of Complex I is found not to overlap the active site of rotenone.

Studies on the mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation. ATP synthesis by submitochondrial particles inhibited at F0 by venturicidin and organotin compounds.

Oligomycin,N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), venturicidin, and tetracoordinate organotin compounds (R3SnX) are potent inhibitors of the mitochondrial ATP synthase complex, all acting on the membrane sector, F0. Oligomycin and DCCD inhibit proton translocation through F0 and energy transfer between F0 and the catalytic sector, F1, of the ATP synthase complex. Our results have shown that venturicidin and organotin compounds (tributyltin and triphenyltin chloride were used) greatly attenuate these processes, but do not cause complete inhibition. As a result, bovine submitochondrial particles (SMP) treated with venturicidin or tributyltin chloride were shown to be capable of ATP hydrolysis and synthesis, albeit at very slow rates. We had shown previously that in ATP synthesis Vmax and apparent Km for ADP and Pi increase or decrease, respectively, as the steady-state membrane potential is elevated or lowered (Matsuno-Yagi, A., and Hatefi, Y. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 14031-14038). These changes occurred at constant Vmax/Km, suggesting that the apparent Km changes were due mainly to kcat changes. Results presented here show that, in respiring SMP treated with venturicidin or organotin compounds, the membrane potential is near the static-head level, but the slow rate of ATP synthesis takes place with a low KmADP value of 2-3 microM. In agreement with our previous conclusions, these results indicate that it is not the membrane potential per se that affects KmADP during ATP synthesis, but rather it is the rate of energy transfer from F0 to F1 that influences both Vmax and KmADP. Further conclusions from the above studies have been discussed in relation to the possible mechanism of energy transfer between F0 and F1 and the manner in which venturicidin and organotin compounds might attenuate this process.

Studies on the mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation. Different effects of F0 inhibitors on unisite and multisite ATP hydrolysis by bovine submitochondrial particles.

Bovine submitochondrial particles prepared in the presence of GTP (G-SMP), as well as G-SMP washed in 150 mM KCl, catalyzed unisite ATP hydrolysis with a first order rate constant of 0.12 s-1. This rate constant remained unchanged at ATP concentrations < 0.06 microM but increased sharply at higher ATP concentrations, presumably because of ATP binding to other catalytic or regulatory sites. Pretreatment of the particles with oligomycin greatly inhibited unisite ATP binding, in agreement with previous findings. Pretreatment of the particles with N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide had a slight effect on unisite ATP binding, whereas pretreatment with the inhibitors venturicidin and tributyl(or triphenyl)tin chloride had no effect. Titration of unisite ATPase activity with increasing concentrations of oligomycin or efrapeptin resulted in sigmoidal inhibition curves, as though more than a single inhibition site was being titrated by each inhibitor. Venturicidin and organotin compounds had little effect on the ATPase activity of SMP at [ATP] < or = [F1] and did not cause 100% inhibition at [ATP] >> [F1]. By analogy to our previous studies on the inhibition of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex by antimycin (Hatefi, Y., and Yagi, T. (1982) Biochemistry 24, 6614-6618), it is proposed that venturicidin and organotin compounds freeze the structure of the F0 sector of the ATP synthase complex in such a manner that prevents the subunit molecular motions required for rapid proton flux but allows a slow proton flux generated by ATPase activity at low ATP concentrations.

Unisite and multisite ATP hydrolysis and synthesis by bovine submitochondrial particles.

Unisite and multisite ATP hydrolysis and synthesis by bovine submitochondrial particles.

Inner mitochondrial membranes bound to concanavalin A–sepharose display succinate dehydrogenase, ATPase, and cytochrome oxidase activity

A fraction (15-20% of the total protein) of a preparation of bovine submitochondrial particles (SMPs) binds to concanavalin A-sepharose. The bound membranes displayed succinate dehydrogenase, cytochrome oxidase, and ATPase activity, which, as in SMPs, were inhibited by malonate, cyanide, and oligomycin, respectively. These results indicate that the bound membranes are inner mitochondrial membranes and that they contain a glycoprotein which was recognized by concanavalin A. It was possible to repeatedly perform the three enzyme assays, one after the other, in the same gel with the bound membranes. Long-term stability tests (22 days) showed that cytochrome oxidase was much more stable in the membranes bound to the gel than in SMPs, while the ATPase activity decayed at a similar rate in the two conditions. Thus, inner mitochondrial membranes bound to ConA-Sepharose appear to be a potentially interesting model for the study of immobilized multienzymatic complexes.

The elasticity of synthetic phospholipid vesicles obtained by photon correlation spectroscopy

Osmotic-swelling experiments were conducted on a variety of preparations of "uniform" unilamellar vesicle systems. The synthetic lipid preparations included both vesicles produced by extrusion through polycarbonate ultrafiltration membranes and vesicles produced by the pH-adjustment method. The vesicles were monitored by photon correlation spectroscopy during swelling as the osmolarity of the external solution was decreased. Contrary to our previously reported results [Aurora, T. S., Li, W., Cummins, H. Z., & Haines, T. H. (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 820, 250-258; Li, W., & Haines, T. H. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 7477-7483; Li, W., Aurora, T. S., Haines, T. H., & Cummins, H. Z. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 8220-8229; Haines, T. H., Li, W., Green, M., & Cummins, H. Z. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 5439-5447] large unilamellar vesicles produced from acidic lipids by the pH-adjustment technique were highly polydisperse and did not swell in a manner that permitted the computation of a Young's modulus, presumably due to the polydispersity. Also contrary to our previous reports, membranes derived from bovine submitochondrial particles did not produce evidence of swelling when subjected to similar protocols. Analysis of osmotic swelling of extruded unilamellar vesicles has allowed us to assign Young's moduli for bilayers of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine and dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol, in the range (5-8) x 10(8) and (3-6) x 10(8) dyn/cm2, respectively. The diameters and polydispersites obtained with electron microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy were compared directly and with computer-modeling techniques. While excellent agreement was obtained for distributions with low polydispersity (approximately greater than 0.1), serious disagreement was found when the polydispersity exceeded approximately 0.2.

Calcium inhibition of the [formula omitted] exchange and of net ATP synthesis catalyzed by bovine submitochondrial particles

A previous communication (Fagian, M.M., Pereira da Silva, L. and Vercesi, A.E. (1986) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 852, 262–268) indicated that intramitochondrial calcium inhibits oxidative phosphorylation by decreasing the availability of adenine nucleotides to both the ADP/ATP translocase and the F 0F 1-ATP synthase complex. In this work we analyzed the interactions of calcium-nucleotide and magnesium-nucleotide complexes with the ATP synthase during catalysis of ATP ⇌ [ 32 P] P i exchange and net synthesis of ATP by submitochondrial particles. Concerning the ATP ⇌ [ 32 P] P i exchange reaction, calcium was ineffective as divalent cation when assayed alone. Furthermore, the addition of calcium increased the magnesium concentration required for half-maximal activation of the exchange, without changing V max. With respect to net ATP synthesis, the inhibition by calcium was shown to be due to formation of the CaADP − complex, which competes with MgADP − for the active site of the F 0F 1-ATP synthase. Moreover, ATP hydrolysis was competitively inhibited by CaATP 2−, showing that calcium is able to interact with the enzyme in both forward and backward reactions in the same manner. That high calcium concentrations are required for significant inhibition of ATP synthesis indicates that this inhibition is relevant under conditions in which cytosolic calcium concentrations rise to pathological levels. Therefore, this mechanism may be responsible, in part, for the decrease in cellular ATP content that has been observed to occur when calcium accumulates in the cytosol.