A kinetic study of sulphate transport in rat liver mitochondria

The kinetics of sulphate uptake catalysed by the dicarboxylate carrier were measured. The Km value for sulphate is about 0.3 mM. A completely competitive relation exists between the influxes of sulphate and malonate, whereas the relation between sulphate and phosphate is of the mixed type. The inhibition of sulphate influx by mersalyl and bathophenanthroline is similar to that of malonate influx and different from the inhibition of phosphate influx. It is considered that sulphate and malonate probably bind to the same locus on the carrier, whereas phosphate occupies a different site. The possible implications of this conclusion are discussed.