Facilitated glucose and dehydroascorbate transport in plant mitochondria

Ascorbate, dehydroascorbate, and glucose transport was investigated in plant mitochondria and mitoplasts prepared from cultured BY2 tobacco cells. Using a rapid filtration method with radiolabeled ligands, we observed a specific glucose and dehydroascorbate transport, which was temperature and time dependent and saturable. Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by KCN and the uncoupler 2,4-dinitrophenol did not influence the transport of the investigated compounds. Dehydroascorbate transport was inhibited by glucose and genistein, while glucose uptake was decreased upon 3-O-methyl-glucose, D-mannose, cytochalasin B or genistein addition. On the other hand, a low affinity low capacity ascorbate transport was found. Oxidizing agents (potassium ferricyanide or ascorbate oxidase) increased ascorbate uptake. The results demonstrate the presence of dehydroascorbate and glucose transport in plant mitochondria and suggest that it is mediated by the same or closely related transporter(s).