Determination and characteristics of energy-dependent proteolysis in rabbit reticulocytes.

In reticulocytes exists an extensive and time-limited ATP-dependent proteolysis which has been measured by a new method. This enzyme system attacks exclusively the mitochondria during the maturation of reticulocytes. The proteolysis is inhibited by anaerobiosis and salicylhydroxamic acid which indicates that it is preceded by the attack of lipoxygenase. There is some evidence for the universality of the ATP-dependent proteolysis, since liver mitochondria are also subject to it.