Membrane potential greatly enhances superoxide generation by the cytochrome bc1 complex reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles.

ABSTRACT: The mitochondrial cytochrome bc(1) complex (ubiquinol/cytochrome c oxidoreductase) is generally thought to generate superoxide anion that participates in cell signaling and contributes to cellular damage in aging and degenerative disease. However, the isolated, detergent-solubilized bc(1) complex does not generate measurable amounts of superoxide except when inhibited by antimycin. In addition, indirect measurements of superoxide production by cells and isolated mitochondria have not clearly resolved the contribution of the bc(1) complex to the generation of superoxide by mitochondria in vivo, nor did they establish the effect, if any, of membrane potential on superoxide formation by this enzyme complex. In this study we show that the yeast cytochrome bc(1) complex does generate significan

SUBMITTER: Rottenberg H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2740544 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature