Action of nitro- and halophenols upon oxygen consumption and phosphorylation by a cell-free particulate system from arbacia eggs.

1. The ability of 4,6-dinitrocresol and eight other substituted phenols to stimulate oxygen uptake and inhibit phosphorylation by a cell-free particulate system from unfertilized Arbacia eggs has been determined. Five of those agents can produce both stimulation of oxygen consumption and inhibition of phosphorylation; one inhibits both oxygen consumption and phosphorylation; and two have no effect on either oxygen consumption or phosphorylation. In every case the effects of these substituted phenols upon the cell-free particulate systems parallel those upon oxygen consumption and cleavage in the intact fertilized Arbacia eggs. 2. The data suggest that energy for cleavage of the Arbacia egg is provided at least in part by oxidative phosphorylation and that substituted phenols may block cleavage by interfering with generation and transfer of high-energy phosphate groups.