Oligomycin-dependent ionophoric protein subunit of mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphatase.

A proteolipid isolated from yeast mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphatase (subunit 9) (ATP phosphohydrolase; EC 3.6.1.3) by chloroform/methanol extraction has been shown to discharge photo-induced potentials across a planar phospholipid membrane containing bacteriorhodopsin. Oligomycin, a specific inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation which binds to this protein, allows the potential gradient to be reestablished. When proteolipid was isolated from an oligomycin-resistant strain, ionophoric activity was still obtained but the effect was not reversed by oligomycin. These studies suggest that the hydrophobic subunit-9 polypeptide is the ionophoric component linking ATP synthesis (hydrolysis) with proton translocation.