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CYTOCHROME FUNCTION IN RELATION TO INNER MEMBRANE STRUCTURE OF MITOCHONDRIA

B CHANCE, D F PARSONS

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |November 29, 1963
    PubMed

    Insights

    Mitochondria in Ascaris lumbricoides muscle contain projecting subunits. Cytochrome content, not subunit size, appears linked to their occurrence frequency in respiratory chains.

    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Cell Biology
    • Parasitology

    Background:

    • Mitochondria possess projecting subunits on their cristae.
    • The respiratory chain's composition varies across species.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the characteristics of mitochondrial subunits in Ascaris lumbricoides.
    • To correlate mitochondrial subunit size and frequency with cytochrome content in the respiratory chain.

    Main Methods:

    • Spectroscopic examination of mitochondrial cytochrome content.
    • Electron microscopy to observe mitochondrial cristae structure.

    Main Results:

    • Ascaris lumbricoides mitochondria exhibit 80 Å projecting subunits on cristae.
    • Cytochromes c and b were detected, but c(1), a, and a(3) were absent.
    • Similar sized subunits were found in cytochrome c deficient bee mitochondria, with decreased frequency.

    Conclusions:

    • Subunit size in mitochondrial cristae is not directly related to respiratory chain cytochrome content.
    • The frequency of subunit occurrence may correlate with cytochrome content in the respiratory chain.
    Keywords:
    ASCARISCYTOCHROMESEXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDYINSECTSMITOCHONDRIA

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