Oxidative phosphorylation and the Pi-ATP exchange reaction of submitochondrial particles under the influence of organic solvents.

The effect of some organic solvents, in particular dimethyl sulfoxide, on oxidative phosphorylation, the Pi-ATP exchange reaction, and ATP hydrolysis has been studied in submitochondrial particles from bovine heart. The three reactions are inhibited by dimethyl sulfoxide, but with a different sensitivity. Oxidative phosphorylation takes place at considerable rates in the presence of concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide that completely inhibit the Pi-ATP exchange reaction. The sensitivity of the Pi-ITP exchange reaction to dimethyl sulfoxide measured in the presence of electron transport is also higher than that of oxidative phosphorylation. Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibits an electrochemical H+ gradient-dependent stimulating effect of inorganic phosphate on ATP hydrolysis which is linked to the Pi-ATP exchange reaction. In the absence of phosphate or in the presence of phosphate plus uncoupler, dimethyl sulfoxide does not inhibit hydrolysis. These findings, together with the observation that electron transport increases the rate of the Pi-ITP exchange reaction, suggest that electrochemical H+ gradients modify the kinetic characteristics of particulate Fi-ATPase. Glycerol and methanol, but not dimethylformamide, induce effects similar to those of dimethyl sulfoxide on oxidative phosphorylation and the Pi-ATP exchange reaction. This suggests that the described effects of solvents could be due to alterations of water structure.