RESPIRATORY PATHWAYS IN THE MYCOPLASMA. II. PATHWAY OF ELECTRON TRANSPORT DURING OXIDATION OF REDUCED NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE BY MYCOPLASMA HOMINIS.

VanDemark, P. J. (University of South Dakota, Vermillion), and P. F. Smith. Respiratory pathways in the Mycoplasma. II. Pathway of electron transport during oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide by Mycoplasma hominis. J. Bacteriol. 88:122-129. 1964.-Unlike the flavin-terminated respiratory pathway of the fermentative Mycoplasma, the respiratory chain of the nonfermentative M. hominis strain 07 appears to be more complex, involving quinones and cytochromes in addition to flavins. In addition to reduction by reduced nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and reduced nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate, nonpyridine nucleotide-linked reduction of the respiratory chain of this organism occurred with succinate, lactate, and short-chained acyl coenzyme A derivatives as electron donors. Enzymes catalyzing the oxidation of NADH included an NADH oxidase, a diaphorase, a quinone reductase, and a cytochrome c reductase. The oxidation of NADH was sensitive to a variety of inhibitors, including 10(-4)m Atabrine, 10(-3)m sodium amytal, 10(-5)mp-chloromercuribenzoate, 10(-4)m antimycin A, and 10(-4)m potassium cyanide. The oxidase was resolved by the addition of 5% trichloroacetic acid and reactivated by the addition of flavin adenine dinucleotide but not flavin mononucleotide. The M. hominis sonic extract contained an NADH-coenzyme Q reductase. The oxidation of NADH was stimulated by the addition of either menadione or vitamin K(2) (C(35)). The oxidase was inactivated by extraction with ether or irradiation at 360 mmu. The ether-inactivated enzyme was partially reactivated by the addition of "lipid" extract of the enzyme and coenzyme Q(6). Difference spectra of the cell extracts revealed the presence of "b" and "a" type cytochromes. These cell extracts were found to contain a cyanide-and azide-sensitive cytochrome oxidase and catalase.