The yield of oxidative phosphorylation is controlled both by force and flux

Dissipation of energy during oxidative phosphorylation may be due to two distinct mechanisms: passive permeability to protons and/or cations (leak) or decrease in the efficiency of some proton pumps (slip). Whatever the mechanism involved, it is admitted that the wastage depends on the protonmotive force. However, the most relevant question in physiology is to determine whether other factors contribute or not to this efficiency. By comparing phosphorylating (high respiratory flux) or non phosphorylating (low respiratory flux) states at similar protonmotive force, we have shown that the wastage is higher in phosphorylating than in non-phosphorylating conditions. This strongly argues for the fact that the flux of oxidative phosphorylation is an important parameter in the control of the yield of this major energetic pathway.