Effects of inhibitors on the plasma membrane and mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatases of Neurospora crassa.

A comparative study has been made of the effects of a variety of inhibitors on the plasma membrane ATPase and mitochondrial ATPase of Neurospora crassa. The most specific inhibitors proved to be vanadate and diethylstilbestrol for the plasma membrane ATPase and azide, oligomycin, venturicidin, and leucinostatin for mitochondrial ATPase. N,N'-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, octylguanidine, triphenylsulfonium chloride, and quercetin and related bioflavonoids inhibited both enzymes, although with different concentration dependences. Other compounds that were tested (phaseolin, fusicoccin, deoxycorticosterone, alachlor, salicyclic acid, N-1-napthylphthalamate, triiodobenzoic acid, cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, theobromine, theophylline, and histamine) had no significant effect on either enzyme. Overall, the results indicate that the plasma membrane and mitochondrial ATPases are distinct enzymes, in spite of the fact that they may play related roles in H+ transport across their respective membranes.