Despite growing evidence for a mitochondrial localization of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and a broadening spectrum of NO actions on mitochondrial respiration and apoptosis, the basis for interaction between the enzyme and the organelle remain obscure. Here we investigated mitochondrial localization of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human embryonic kidney cells transfected or infected with eNOS expression vectors. Copurification of eNOS with mitochondria was observed in both human umbilical vein endothelial cells and eNOSexpressing human embryonic kidney cells. Immunodetectable eNOS was cleaved from mitochondria by proteinase K treatment, suggesting eNOS association with the outer mitochondrial membrane. Localization of eNOS to a proteinase K-cleavable site on the cytoplasmic face of the outer membrane was confirmed by immunogold labeling of non-permeabilized mitochondria. Markers for mitochondrial subfractions ruled out the possibility of eNOS association with an intramitochondrial site or inverted mitochondrial particles. Denaturation of eNOS did not attenuate association with mitochondria. Mutant eNOS lacking a pentabasic amino acid sequence within the autoinhibitory domain (residues 628 -632 of the bovine eNOS) showed dramatically reduced binding to the mitochondrial but not to the plasma membrane, which was associated with increased oxygen consumption. Collectively, these findings argue in favor of eNOS localization to the outer mitochondrial membrane in endothelial cells and identify elements of a novel anchoring mechanism.An association of NOS-like proteins with mitochondria has previously been demonstrated immunohistochemically (1-4). Further supporting evidence was provided by the partial purification of mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS) 1 activity (5, 6). There is an ongoing debate as to the identity of mtNOS; immunologic cross-reaction of mtNOS with antibodies against endothelial NOS (eNOS) (1, 3, 7), neuronal NOS (4), and inducible NOS (6) have been reported. A recent investigation (8) has identified a neuronal NOS in cardiomyocyte mitochondria. It has been suggested that mtNOS plays important roles in oxidative stress and apoptosis (9, 10), regulation of mitochondrial respiration (11,12), and modulation of intracellular Ca 2ϩ homeostasis (13).The potential distribution of mtNOS in subfractions of mitochondria has been explored but remains enigmatic. Some indirect evidence suggests that mtNOS is localized to the inner mitochondrial membrane. Indeed, immunohistochemical findings suggest that mtNOS co-localizes with succinate dehydrogenase, a mitochondrial marker for the inner membrane (2). Further support for an inner membrane localization of NOS in mitochondria came from NOS activity assays, which indicated that specific activity in submitochondrial particles and crude fractions was higher than that of mitochondrial homogenates or permeabilized mitochondria (14). In contrast, a recent report (15) suggested that eNOS localizes to the oute...