Date of Award
1965
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
John L. Purvis
Abstract
Isolated mitochondria perform certain processes which require energy. The maintainance of mitochondrial structure and function by endergonic biosynthetic reactions requires
energy in the form of ATP. Other energy-linked functions of mitochondria, -cation uptake, swelling and contraction, reversal of electron transport, and reduction of TPN by DPNH have been used as tools by investigators to study the transfer of energy between coupling sites and the nature of high-energy intermediates in oxidative phosphorylation.
It has also become clear that the concept of the role of ATP as the sole energetic reaction product of mitochondrial reactions has changed. A good deal of evidence for high-energy precursors of ATP has been accumulated, and the accumulating evidence for the functions of these high-energy intermediates, not only in the energy-linked reduction of DPN by TPN, but also in the transport of ions across membranes, now leads to a new and important concept in mitochondrial energy relations, and focuses attention on a new class of non-phosphorylated high-energy compounds.
The work presented here will consider the active uptake of DPN and its relation to non-phosphorylated high-energy compounds produced by mitochondria.
Since the active incorporation of a molecule as large as DPN into mitochondria has not been previously demonstrated, evidence will also be presented to show that the energy-linked incorporation of DPN into mitochondria involves the intact molecule.
Recommended Citation
Greenspan, Michael D., "THE MECHANISM OF THE ENERGY-LINKED INCORPORATION OF C14DPN INTO RAT LIVER MITOCHONDRIA" (1965). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 1704.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/1704