Edited by Linda SpremulliNADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the largest (ϳ1 MDa) and the least characterized complex of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Because of the ease of sample availability, previous work has focused almost exclusively on bovine complex I. However, only medium resolution structural analyses of this complex have been reported. Working with other mammalian complex I homologues is a potential approach for overcoming these limitations. Due to the inherent difficulty of expressing large membrane protein complexes, screening of complex I homologues is limited to large mammals reared for human consumption. The high sequence identity among these available sources may preclude the benefits of screening. Here, we report the characterization of complex I purified from Ovis aries (ovine) heart mitochondria. All 44 unique subunits of the intact complex were identified by mass spectrometry. We identified differences in the subunit composition of subcomplexes of ovine complex I as compared with bovine, suggesting differential stability of inter-subunit interactions within the complex. Furthermore, the 42-kDa subunit, which is easily lost from the bovine enzyme, remains tightly bound to ovine complex I. Additionally, we developed a novel purification protocol for highly active and stable mitochondrial complex I using the branched-chain detergent lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol. Our data demonstrate that, although closely related, significant differences exist between the biochemical properties of complex I prepared from ovine and bovine mitochondria and that ovine complex I represents a suitable alternative target for further structural studies.Many products from the catabolic processing of monosaccharides, fatty acids, nucleotides, and amino acids are transported into the mitochondria, where their redox energy is harvested to synthesize ATP. The main process by which ATP is produced involves the five large membrane protein complexes of the oxidative phosphorylation electron transport chain (OXPHOS-ETC) 4 in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) (1). NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the first and largest of the OXPHOS-ETC complexes and couples the reduction of ubiquinone by NADH to the pumping of 4 H ϩ across the IMM (2-5). Together with the other protonpumping OXPHOS-ETC complexes, ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex III or the bc 1 complex) and cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), complex I is responsible for building up a large proton electrochemical gradient that is then harvested by ATP synthase (complex V) for ATP production (1). Succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (complex II) is also a transmembrane protein complex and forms an integral part of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, but it only contributes to the membrane potential indirectly through reduction of the Q-pool (1).Although progress has been made in our understanding of the mechanism of the OXPHOS-ETC complexes, including high resolution structures of mammalian mitochondrial complexes II, III, and IV (6 ...