Small-angle X-ray scattering from mitochondria.
X-ray (CuKalpha) scattering curves of rat liver mitochondria are characterized by continuously decreasing intensity from 0.5 to 5 mrad and a broad maximum centered near 20 mrad. The condensed-to-orthodox morphological transition of the inner membranes of intact mitochondria causes a dramatic decrease in scattering at very small angle and a marked shift of the 20 mrad maximum to smaller angle. A similar small-angle scattering maximum is observed with inner mitochondrial membrane fractions prepared by digitonin treatment and osmotic shock/step gradient centrifugation procedures. However, the small-angle X-ray scattering curves of mitochondria after acetone treatment and osmoticlysis/sonication are essentially continuous. These characteristics of mitochondrial X-ray scattering are discussed in terms of known structural features of the organelle.
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008933:Mitochondrial Swelling; D051381:Rats; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014965:X-Rays