The Ca2+-induced membrane transition in mitochondria: II. Nature of the Ca2+ trigger site

RA Haworth, DR Hunter - Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 1979 - Elsevier
RA Haworth, DR Hunter
Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 1979Elsevier
The permeability of isolated mitochondria which have undergone the Ca 2+-induced
transition can be modulated over a wide range simply by adjusting the concentration of free
Ca 2+ in the medium. The effect varies sigmoidally with respect to Ca 2+ concentration, with
an apparent K m of 16 μ m at pH 7.0. It is concluded that the trigger site (by “trigger site” we
mean the site of binding of Ca 2+ which, when Ca 2+ is bound, will allow the transition in
permeability to occur) is possibly also the site for high-affinity Ca 2+ uptake. Added ADP …
Abstract
The permeability of isolated mitochondria which have undergone the Ca2+-induced transition can be modulated over a wide range simply by adjusting the concentration of free Ca2+ in the medium. The effect varies sigmoidally with respect to Ca2+ concentration, with an apparent Km of 16 μm at pH 7.0. It is concluded that the trigger site (by “trigger site” we mean the site of binding of Ca2+ which, when Ca2+ is bound, will allow the transition in permeability to occur) is possibly also the site for high-affinity Ca2+ uptake. Added ADP, NADH and Mg2+ inhibit the Ca2+-induced permeability of mitochondria which have undergone the Ca2+-induced transition. Mg2+ and other ions, including H+, act like competitive inhibitors of the Ca2+ effect. In the presence of Ca2+, both neutral and charged molecules of molecular weight <1000 pass readily through the membrane. This response to Ca2+ is interpreted as a gating effect at the internal end of hydrophilic channels which span the inner membrane.
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