The interaction between mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase and ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase. Evidence for stoicheiometric association.

1. The NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex (Complex I) and the ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase complex (Complex III) combine in a 1:1 molar ratio to give NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (Complex I-Complex III). 2. Experiments on the inhibition of the NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase activity of mixtures of Complexes I and III by rotenone and antimycin indicate that electron transfer between a unit of Complex I-Complex III and extra molecules of Complexes I or III does not contribute to the overall rate of cytochrome c reduction. 3. The reduction by NADH of the cytochrome b of mixtures of Complexes I and III is biphasic. The extents of the fast and slow phases of reduction are determined by the proportion of the total Complex III specifically associated with Complex I. 4. Activation-energy measurements suggest that the structural features of the Complex I-Complex III unit promote oxidoreduction of endogenous ubiquinone-10.