Superoxide activates a GDP-sensitive proton conductance in skeletal muscle mitochondria from king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus).
We present the partial nucleotide sequence of the avian uncoupling protein (avUCP) gene from king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), showing that the protein is 88-92% identical to chicken (Gallus gallus), turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), and hummingbird (Eupetomena macroura). We show that superoxide activates the proton conductance of mitochondria isolated from king penguin skeletal muscle. GDP abolishes the superoxide-activated proton conductance, indicating that it is mediated via avUCP. In the absence of superoxide there is no GDP-sensitive component of the proton conductance from penguin muscle mitochondria demonstrating that avUCP plays no role in the basal proton leak.
Talbot
Darren A
DA
Medical Research Council Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Hills Road, CB2 2XY, Cambridge, UK.
Hanuise
Nicolas
N
Rey
Benjamin
B
Rouanet
Jean-Louis
JL
Duchamp
Claude
C
Brand
Martin D
MD
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D007473:Ion Channels; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D017494:Proton Pumps / Q000502:physiology; D011522:Protons; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014422:Turkeys; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D017494:Proton Pumps; D011522:Protons; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D013481:Superoxides; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; D010100:Oxygen