The oxidative activity of particulate fractions from mosquitoes

Abstract

Respiratory particles obtained from the mosquito Aedes aegypti L. oxidized all the citric acid-cycle intermediates and showed oxidative phosphorylation. Particles prepared by a mild extraction procedure showed no cofactor dependence, except a requirement for adenosine triphosphate and Mg++ ions. Mechanical injury produced a preparation dependent on phosphate, diphosphoryridine nucleotide and coenzyme A. Arsenate could replace phosphate in the latter preparation in equimolar amounts. The effect of inhibitors on respiration and phosphorylation was investigated. All the phosphorylation linked to the oxidation of a-oxoglutarate was abolished by 10-4[image]-24-dinitrophenol. Phosphorylation was more affected by 2:2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl):l:l:l-trichloroethane (DDT) than was respiration.