F0F1-ATPase of plant mitochondria: isolation and polypeptide composition

A simple and high yield purification procedure for the isolation of F0F1-ATPase from spinach leaf mitochondria has been developed. This is the first report concerning purification and composition of the plant mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase. The enzyme is selectively extracted from inner membrane vesicles with the zwitterionic detergent, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethyl ammonio]-1- propane sulfonate (CHAPS). The purified enzyme exhibits a high oligomycin-sensitive ATPase activity (3,6 mumol.min-1.mg-1). SDS-PAGE of the purified F0F1-ATPase complex reveals protein bands of molecular masses of 54 kDa (F1 alpha,beta), 33 kDa (F1 gamma), 28 kDa, 23 kDa, 21 kDa (F1 delta), 18.5 kDa, 15 kDa, 10.5 kDa, 9.5 kDa (F1 epsilon) and 8.5 kDa. All polypeptides migrate as one complex in a polyacrylamide gradient gel under non-denaturing conditions in the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100. Five polypeptides could be identified as subunits of F1. Polypeptides of molecular masses 28 kDa, 23 kDa, 18.5 kDa, 15 kDa, 10.5 kDa, 9.5 kDa and 8.5 kDa constitute the F0 part of the complex. Our results show that polypeptide composition of the plant mitochondrial F0 differs from other eukaryotic F0 of yeast, mammals and chloroplasts.