Deficiency of uncoupler-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity in yeast mitochondria.

Oligomycin-sensitive ATPase activity was studied in isolated yeast mitochondria. The protonophore CCCP, at a concentration which completely inhibited ATP synthesis, induced only a low rate of hydrolysis of externally added ATP, and the extent of hydrolysis was dependent upon phosphate (Pi) concentration. CCCP promoted hydrolysis of intramitochondrial ATP. However, hydrolysis of externally added ATP was total in a medium containing potassium phosphate plus valinomycin. Without ionophores, ATPase activity was only observed at high external pH or with detergent-treated mitochondria. Under state 4 conditions, external ATP had access to the catalytic nucleotide site of ATPase as shown by 32Pi-ATP exchange experiments. These results are discussed in terms of a limitation of the translocase-mediated ATP/ADP exchange in uncoupled mitochondria.