) -EJB 6179 1. Reduction in the magnitude of the respiration-dependent protonmotive force (proton electrochemical gradient in mV) of vesicles from Paracoccus denitrificans, and of submitochondrial particles, has been found to be paralleled small increases in Ssoy;, values for both ADP and Pi. For example, reduction of the protonmotive force of P. denitrificuns vesicles from 145 mV to 110 mV was accompanied by an increase of Sstr;, (ADP) from 8 pM to l8pM, and an increase of Ssoui (Pi) from 0.33mM to 1.4mM. This result was obtained with partial uncoupling quantities of both carbonyl-cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone and of the synergistic combination of nigericin plus valinomycin in the presence of K'. In view of the similar effects of these two different methods of uncoupling it is concluded that the changes in S,o,:a were a consequence of the diminished protonmotive force acting on the ATP synthase rather than of a secondary, direct interaction of the uncouplers with the enzyme. Changes in Sso", rather than Ez, are described because under several sets of conditions double-reciprocal plots were nonlinear.2. For equivalent attenuations in the rate of ATP synthesis by submitochondrial particles, 2,4-dinitrophenol caused much larger increases in S,, : u (ATP) than did carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. Therefore it is concluded that the effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol was primarily a consequence of its previously recognized direct interaction with the F, segment of the mitochondria1 ATPase. The concentration range of 2,4-dinitrophenol that raised Ssox (ADP) is similar to that which weakens the binding of ADP to a particular type of site on the purified F, sector of ATP synthase. This correlation is consistent with such a site having a catalytic role during ATP synthesis.3. A titration of the rate of ATP synthesis by vesicles of P. denitrificans with increasing quantities of carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone showed that the initial titres of the uncoupler caused large decreases in the rate of ATP synthesis for relatively small attenuations in the protonmotive force. Thus the initial 20 mV drop in the protonmotive force was accompanied by a reduction of more than 65% in the rate of ATP synthesis. Over the lowest range of values of protonmotive force that drove detectable rates of ATP synthesis however, the dependence of the rate was a less steep function of the protonmotive force. A plot of the logarithm of the rate of ATP synthesis against protonmotive force reveals a biphasic relationship. There does not appear to be a 'threshold' value of the protonmotive force below which ATP synthesis is blocked by kinetic factors.4. The relationships of the protonmotive force with Ssoyn values and with the rate of ATP synthesis (at near saturating concentrations of ADP and Pi) are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms for the coupling of proton translocation to ATP synthesis.Acceptance of the role of the protonmotive force as the intermediate between electron transport and ATP synthesi...