CROSS-RECONSTITUTION STUDIES WITH POLYPEPTIDES OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI AND BOVINE HEART MITOCHONDRIAL F0F1 ATP SYNTHASE

To characterize the role of supernumerary subunits of the mammalian F0 F1 ATP synthase, cross-reconstitution of mitochondrial and bacterial F 0F1 complexes has been carried out. Escherichia coli F-1 (EcF(1)) can be reconstituted with F-1-stripped everted membranes of E. coli (UPEc) and of bovine heart mitochondria (USMP). Bovine heart mitochondrial F -1 (BHF1) can also be reconstituted with both membranes. Both EcF(1) a nd BHF1, when reconstituted with UPEc, exhibited oligomycin-insensitiv e ATP-hydrolase activity. Subunits of the mammalian F-0, in particular F0I-PVP protein, F-6 and oligomycin-sensitivity-conferring protein (O SCP) conferred oligomycin sensitivity to the catalytic activity of EcF (1) or BHF1 reconstituted with UPEc. Reaction of N,N'-dicyclohexylcarb odiimide and development of inhibition of passive H+ conduction was, i n UPEc, considerably slower and exhibited a lower apparent affinity th an in USMP. The ATP hydrolase activity of UPEc+EcF(1) or UPEc+BHF1 was , also, less sensitive to inhibition by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide than USMP+EcF(1), or USMP+BHF1. Addition of mitochondrial F0I-PVP to U PEc enhanced the sensitivity of H+ conduction to oligomycin. F0I-PVP a nd OSCP added to UPEc, promoted inhibition by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodi imide of passive H+ conduction and increased its binding affinity to s ubunit c of E. coli F-0. The presence of F0I-PVP and OSCP also promote d inhibition by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide of the ATP-hydrolase act ivity of EcF(1), or BHF1 reconstituted with UPEc.