The mitochondrial inner membrane possesses an anion channel (IMAC) which mediates the electrophoretic transport of a wide variety of anions and is believed to be an important component of the volume homeostatic mechanism. IMAC is regulated by matrix Mg2+ (IC50 = 38 microM at pH 7.4) and by matrix H+ (pIC50 = 7.7). Moreover, inhibition by Mg2+ is pH-dependent. IMAC is also reversibly inhibited by many cationic amphiphilic drugs, including propranolol, and irreversibly inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Mercurials have two effects on its activity: (1) they increase the IC50 values for Mg2+, H+, and propranolol, and (2) they inhibit transport. The most potent inhibitor of IMAC is tributyltin, which blocks anion uniport in liver mitochondria at about 1 nmol/mg. The inhibitory dose is increased by mercurials; however, this effect appears to be unrelated to the other mercurial effects. IMAC also appears to be present in plant mitochondria; however, it is insensitive to inhibition by Mg2+, mercurials, and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Some inhibitors of the adenine nucleotide translocase also inhibit IMAC, including Cibacron Blue, agaric acid, and palmitoyl CoA; however, atractyloside has no effect.

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1. The characteristics of ornithine catabolism by the aminotransferase pathway in isolated mitochondria were determined. 2. Ornithine synthesis from glutamate and glutamate gamma-semialdehyde produced by the oxidation of proline was studied. No ornithine was formed in the absence of rotenone. 3. The mechanism of ornithine transport was reinvestigated, and the existence of an ornithine+/H+ exchange system postulated. 4. The kinetics of ornithine transport, ornithine catabolism in intact mitochondria and ornithine aminotransferase activity in solubilized mitochondria were compared. It is concluded that ornithine aminotransferase activity in liver mitochondria is rate-limited by the transport of ornithine across the mitochondrial membrane, and that this enzyme is involved primarily in ornithine degradation rather than ornithine synthesis.

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The mitochondrial inner membrane anion channel (IMAC) is a channel, identified by flux studies in intact mitochondria, which has a broad anion selectivity and is maintained closed or inactive by matrix Mg2+ and H+. We now present evidence that this channel, like many other chloride/anion channels, is reversibly blocked/inhibited by stilbene-2,2'-disulfonates. Inhibition of malonate transport approaches 100% with IC50 values of 26, 44, and 88 mu M for DIDS, H2-DIDS, and SITS respectively and Hill coefficients < or = 1. In contrast, inhibition of Cl- transport is incomplete, reaching a maximum of about 30% at pH 7.4 and 65% at pH 8.4 with an IC50 which is severalfold higher than that for malonate. The IC50 for malonate transport is decreased about 50% by pretreatment of the mitochondria with N-ethylmaleimide. Raising the assay pH from 7.4 to 8.4 increases the IC50 by about 50%, but under conditions where only the matrix pH is made alkaline the IC50 is decreased slightly. These properties and competition studies suggest that DIDS inhibits by binding to the same site as Cibacron blue 3GA. In contrast, DIDS does not appear to compete with the fluorescein derivative Erythrosin B for inhibition. These findings not only provide further evidence that IMAC may be more closely related to other "Cl-" channels than previously thought, but also suggest that other Cl- channels may be sensitive to some of the many regulators of IMAC which have been identified.