The synthesis of cytochrome b on mitochondrial ribosomes in baker's yeast

Antiserum against a major cytochrome b peptide isolated from yeast mitochondria as described previously (Lin, L.-F.H., and Beattie, D.S., J. Biol. Chem. 1978, 253, 2412--2418) was raised in rabbits and shown to be monospecific against the pure antigen. Mitochondria were isolated from yeast cells grown in [3H]leucine, extracted with Lubrol and treated with antiserum to cytochrome b. Analysis of the immunoprecipitates by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a single major band of molecular weight 31 000 corresponding to cytochrome b. In order to determine the intracellular site of translation of cytochrome b, yeast cells were labeled in vivo under non-growing conditions with [3H]leucine in the absence or presence of inhibitors of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial protein synthesis. The incorporation of radioactive leucine into the apoprotein of cytochrome b isolated by immunoprecipitation followed by gel electrophoresis was insensitive to cycloheximide (an inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis) and sensitive to acriflavin, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol (inhibitors of mitochondrial protein synthesis). Furthermore, no cytochrome b apoprotein was present in a cytoplasmic petite mutant which lacked mitochondrial protein synthesis. Cytochrome b is thus a product of protein synthesis on mitochondrial ribosomes.