[Antimycin A-resistant oxygen consumption in rabbit reticulocytes]

In rabbit reticulocytes there exists an Antimycin A-resistent oxygen consumption. It amounts to about 20% of the total oxygen consumption, independently of the degree of maturation of the cells and of the presence of external substrates. The main substrate of the Antimycin A-resistent oxygen consumption is glucose, which is metabolized by the pentose phosphate pathway. NADP-dependent substrates provide more CO2 in the presence of Antimycin A. The 14CO2-formation from metabolites of the citric acid cycle and of metabolites directly connected with this cycle is decreased in the presence of Antimycin A, whereas no 14CO2 is formed from long-chain fatty acids. A H2O2-formation by a NADPH-oxygenase is postulated. The mitochondria contribute reducing equivalents to the cytosolic oxygen consumption. The postulated interactions include hydrogen transfer and the malate-shuttle.