Tissue variation of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation efficiency in cold-acclimated ducklings.

We investigated the oxidative phosphorylation efficiency of liver and gastrocnemius muscle mitochondria in thermoneutral and cold-acclimated ducklings. The yield of oxidative phosphorylation was lower in muscle than in liver mitochondria, a difference that was associated with a higher proton conductance in muscle mitochondria. Cold exposure did not affect oxidative phosphorylation efficiency or basal proton leak in mitochondria. We conclude that the basal proton conductance of mitochondria may regulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, but is not an important contributor to thermogenic processes in cold-acclimated ducklings.