Interactions of acetate, propionate and butyrate in sheep liver mitochondria

1. Interactions in the rates of consumption of acetate, propionate and butyrate in sheep liver mitochondria were examined in the presence and absence of l-malate and alpha-oxoglutarate. 2. Acetate was not consumed in absence of ancillary substrate but utilization of acetate (7.2nmol/min per mg of protein) occurred in the presence of alpha-oxoglutarate. This consumption was abolished by propionate or butyrate but the presence of acetate did not affect consumption of propionate or butyrate. 3. Propionate consumption (10.1nmol/min per mg of protein) was unaffected by malate but was stimulated by 63% by butyrate or by 180% by alpha-oxoglutarate. 4. Butyrate consumption (3.3nmol/min per mg of protein) was stimulated by 117% by malate, by 151% by propionate and by 310% by alpha-oxoglutarate. 5. In the absence of ancillary substrates the maximum rate of total volatile fatty acid utilization (24.7nmol/min per mg of protein) occurred with a mixture of propionate and butyrate. When both propionate and butyrate were present total consumption was not affected by malate but was stimulated by 24% by alpha-oxoglutarate. With alpha-oxoglutarate present, propionate and butyrate each decreased the other's consumption by about 26%, but the total utilization was the greatest observed. 6. The inhibition of acetate consumption by propionate or butyrate is unexplained, but the remaining effects are consistent with an interaction of propionate and butyrate through oxaloacetate together with a general limitation imposed by a need for GTP to rephosphorylate AMP formed during activation of the volatile fatty acids.