Effectiveness of Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic Acid in the Activation of Oxidations Mediated by Mitochodria from Broccoli Buds

Abstract

Disodium-EDTA, added to the homogenization medium, stimulated and stabilized oxidation of a -ketoglutarate and succinate by mitochondria isolated from broccoli buds (Brassica oleracea var. italica). Activation could not be obtained by substituting ferric-EDTA for disodium-EDTA. Addition of disodium-EDTA, after isolation of the mitochondria in the homogenizing medium free of EDTA, did not activate the mitochondria. These data suggest that deleterious cations released during the homogenization procedure inactivate the mitochondria. In the presence of disodium-EDTA these deleterious factors are chelated resulting in more active mitochondrial preparations.