Inhibition by 2,3-butanedione-monoxime of mitochondrial ADP-dependent respiration and muscle contraction

2,3-Butanedione-monoxime (BDM) inhibits tension development in skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle. Experiments on isolated single fibres of frog-muscle have shown a use dependent intermittent failure of twitching during continued stimulation. Our analysis of the effect of BDM on rabbit liver mitochondria and submitochondrial particles revealed a reduction of oxygen consumption in coupled mitochondria stimulated by adding of ADP, while in uncoupled mitochondria the oxygen consumption was not inhibited by BDM. Furthermore the substance did not inhibit ATP hydrolysis by submitochondrial particles. Based on these findings we suggest that BDM inhibits the activity of the mitochondrial ATP/ADP translocase.