Mitochondria produce ROS (reactive oxygen species) as a by-product of aerobic respiration. Several studies in mammals and birds suggest that the most physiologically relevant ROS production is from complex I following reverse electron flow, and is highly sensitive to membrane potential. A study of Drosophila mitochondria respiring glycerol 3-phosphate revealed that membrane potential-sensitive ROS production from complex I following reverse electron flow was on the matrix side of the inner membrane. A 10 mV decrease in membrane potential was enough to abolish around 70% of the ROS produced by complex I under these conditions. Another important ROS generator in this model, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, produced ROS mostly to the cytosolic side; this ROS production was totally insensitive to a small decrease in membrane potential (10 mV). Thus mild uncoupling may be particularly significant for ROS production from complex I on the matrix side of the mitochondrial inner membrane.
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December 2003
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Conference Article|
December 01 2003
Mitochondrial matrix reactive oxygen species production is very sensitive to mild uncoupling
S. Miwa;
S. Miwa
1
MRC Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2XY, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail sm@mrc-dunn.cam.ac.uk).
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M.D. Brand
M.D. Brand
MRC Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2XY, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2003 Biochemical Society
2003
Biochem Soc Trans (2003) 31 (6): 1300–1301.
Citation
S. Miwa, M.D. Brand; Mitochondrial matrix reactive oxygen species production is very sensitive to mild uncoupling. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2003; 31 (6): 1300–1301. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0311300
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