The influence of 2:4-dinitrophenol on the oxidative breakdown of fatty acids

Abstract

Dinitrophenol (DNP) in a concn. of 4.5 x 10-5 M and at pH 7.4 enhanced the respiration of rat-liver slices metabolizing octanoate and pyruvate. The end products in both reactions contained a much greater proportion of acetoacetate than in control expts. Under similar exptl. conditions DNP inhibited oxidative phosphorylation of fructose, as indicated by its effect on the aerobic utilization of this sugar. It was suggested that oxidative phosphorylation is not involved in the intracellular breakdown of octanoate or pyruvate.