By oxidizing NADH and transferring electrons to the final acceptor ubiquinone coupled with proton translocation across the mitochondrial inner membrane, CI contributes to generate the mitochondrial membrane potential utilized to produce ATP through the process of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) [1].
Consumption of the polyphosphate chain would release protonated metal chelates, generating membrane potential that could be utilized in both ATP synthesis [25] and substrate uptake [26].
In yeast, it has been shown that COX5b, the hypoxic isoform of COX5, is more efficient at pumping protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane (i.e., requires less energy to pump the same number of protons), thereby producing a stable membrane potential and ATP concentration despite utilizing fewer oxygen molecules.
This action is intrinsically connected to cellular ion homeostasis (through the action of anti-porters utilizing the generated membrane potential via a proton electrochemical gradient), as well as proteolytic activation (digestion of autophagasomes during autophagy or vacuolar proteolysis induced by starvation), endocytosis, and vacuole fusion [ 49, 71].
Finally, expression of a subunit for cytochrome c oxidase (RC1_0780) that is involved in utilizing oxygen to form a membrane potential during respiration, is increased ~10 fold throughout encystment.
Rhodamine-123 was utilized to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential in HN4 cells [ 41].
Given the immature state of synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons at the neonatal stage, L-type Ca2+ channels in neonatal neurons may utilize a sustained elevation of the membrane potential induced by the ephrin/Eph signal for channel activation.
Previous studies have shown, by utilizing rapid agonist application on dissociated rat SCG neurons at constant membrane potential, that αBgTx was either without effect on any current [33], or able to block up to 80% [31] or 40% [32] of the ACh induced currents.
Competitive binding of nisin and vancomycin was evaluated utilizing a functional assay in which vancomycin prevented nisin-mediated loss of membrane potential via lipid II binding.
The membrane potential to maintain this difference in concentrations is carried out by proton pumps that utilize ATP and pyrophosphate (PPi) [ 11, 12].
