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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.

ABSTRACT: 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.

SUBMITTER: Hansford RG

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1165342 | biostudies-other | 1975 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:1. To determine whether controlled (State 4) pyruvate oxidation can support a high energy state, measurements of the redox span NAD-cytochrome c, phosphorylation potential and protonmotive force (the gradient in electrochemical activity of protons across the mitochondrial inner membrane) were made as indices of energy status. For comparison, these three measurements were also made with glycerol 3-phosphate, an alternative substrate. The two substrates gave essentially identical values for the redox span NAD-cytochrome c in State 4, and the phosphorylation potential was of sufficient magnitude to be considered in equilibrium with the redox span over the first two phosphorylation sites. The magnitude of the protonmotive force in State 4 was much less and the implications of this finding are discussed. 2. Measurements made during the controlled (State 4) to active (State 3) transition indicated that with glycerol 3-phosphate as substrate, both the redox span NAD-cytochrome c and the protonmotive force were diminished; the State 4 --> State 3 transition with pyruvate as substrate was accompanied by an increase in the redox span but a decrease in protonmotive force. The contrary behaviour of these two energetic parameters in the presence of pyruvate was ascribed to a transient excess in the flux of protons through the adenosine triphosphatase relative to the protonpumping respiratory chain, in spite of the increased dehydrogenase activity. 3. The lower protonmotive force seen in State 3 relative to State 4 with pyruvate as substrate was due to a diminution of both the electrical (DeltaPsi) and the chemical (DeltapH) components; with glycerol 3-phosphate, the magnitude of the decrease in protonmotive force during the State 4 --> State 3 transition was similar to that seen with pyruvate, but was due to a large decrease in the electrical component (DeltaPsi) and a small rise in the chemical component (DeltapH). The reason for the difference seen in the behaviour of the components of the protonmotive force was investigated but not established. 4. In the presence of oligomycin and ADP, oxidation of pyruvate, but not of glycerol 3-phosphate, supported a greater protonmotive force than in State 4, in keeping with the dehydrogenase activation and increased redox span NAD-cytochrome c found under these conditions. 5. Experiments involving the use of uncoupling agent to stimulate respiration are compared with those in which limiting concentrations of ADP were used. Estimates of the proton conductance of the inner membrane indicate a similar non-linear dependence on uncoupler concentration with the two substrates. 6. A model is proposed as an explanation of the high rates of controlled glycerol 3-phosphate oxidation. The model relies on a high permeability of the inner membrane to protons and other ions being induced by glycerol 3-phosphate oxidation in State 4.

Project description:The only exogenous substrates oxidized by mitochondria isolated from the flight muscle of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) are proline, pyruvate and glycerol 3-phosphate. The highest rate of oxygen consumption is obtained with proline. The oxidation of proline leads to the production of more NH3 than alanine, indicating a functioning glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2). Studies of mitochondrial extracts confirm the presence of a very active glutamate dehydrogenase, and this enzyme is found to be activated by ADP and inhibited by ATP. These extracts also show high alanine aminotransferase activity (EC 2.6.1.2) and a uniquely active "malic' enzyme (EC 1.1.1.39). The "malic' enzyme is activated by succinate and inhibited by ATP and by pyruvate. It is suggested that the input of tricarboxylate-cycle intermediate from proline oxidation is balanced by the formation of pyruvate from malate, and the complete oxidation of the majority of the pyruvate. Studies of the steady-state concentrations of mitochondrial CoASH and CoA thioesters during proline oxidation show a high succinyl (3-carboxypropionyl)-CoA content which falls on activating respiration with ADP. There is a concomitant rise in CoASH. However, the reverse transition, from state-3 to state-4 respiration, causes only very slight changes in acylation. The reasons for this are discussed. Studies of the mitochondrial content of glutamate, 2-oxoglutarate, malate, pyruvate, citrate and isocitrate during the same phases of proline oxidation give results consistent with control at the level of glutamate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase during proline oxidation, with the possibility of further control at "malic' enzyme. During the oxidation of pyruvate all of the tricarboxylate-cycle intermediates and NAD(P)H follow the pattern of changes described in the blowfly (Johnson & Hansford, 1975; Hansford, 1974) and isocitrate dehydrogenase is identified as the primary site of control.?2OAuthor

Project description:Dipteran flies are amongst the smallest and most agile of flying animals. Their wings are driven indirectly by large power muscles, which cause cyclical deformations of the thorax that are amplified through the intricate wing hinge. Asymmetric flight manoeuvres are controlled by 13 pairs of steering muscles acting directly on the wing articulations. Collectively the steering muscles account for <3% of total flight muscle mass, raising the question of how they can modulate the vastly greater output of the power muscles during manoeuvres. Here we present the results of a synchrotron-based study performing micrometre-resolution, time-resolved microtomography on the 145 Hz wingbeat of blowflies. These data represent the first four-dimensional visualizations of an organism's internal movements on sub-millisecond and micrometre scales. This technique allows us to visualize and measure the three-dimensional movements of five of the largest steering muscles, and to place these in the context of the deforming thoracic mechanism that the muscles actuate. Our visualizations show that the steering muscles operate through a diverse range of nonlinear mechanisms, revealing several unexpected features that could not have been identified using any other technique. The tendons of some steering muscles buckle on every wingbeat to accommodate high amplitude movements of the wing hinge. Other steering muscles absorb kinetic energy from an oscillating control linkage, which rotates at low wingbeat amplitude but translates at high wingbeat amplitude. Kinetic energy is distributed differently in these two modes of oscillation, which may play a role in asymmetric power management during flight control. Structural flexibility is known to be important to the aerodynamic efficiency of insect wings, and to the function of their indirect power muscles. We show that it is integral also to the operation of the steering muscles, and so to the functional flexibility of the insect flight motor.

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