Inhibition of the transthylakoid gradient of electrochemical proton potential by the local anesthetic dibucaine.

The effects of the local anesthetic dibucaine on coupling between electron transport and ATP synthesis-hydrolysis by the coupling-factor complex (CF0CF1 ATPase) were investigated in thylakoid membranes from Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Monatol. Evidence is presented that inhibition of ATP synthesis was produced by a specific uncoupling mechanism which was based on dibucaine-membrane surface interactions rather than on the interaction of dibucaine with the ATPase complex. Dibucaine reduced the osmotic space of thylakoid vesicles. At low pH of the medium it stimulated ATP hydrolysis beyond the rates obtained with optimum concentrations of 'classical' uncouplers. After addition of dibucaine, there was displacement of membrane-bound Mg(2+) and strong thylakoid stacking in the presence of only low Mg(2+) concentrations. Inhibition of ATP synthesis and transmembrane pH gradient increased with medium pH. Hydrolysis of ATP by isolated CF1 and the CF0CF1 complex was only slightly affected by dibucaine. The data are discussed assuming the involvement of localized proton channels on the membrane surface in protonic coupling of electron transport and ATP synthesis. A hypothesis for the mechanisms of action of local anesthetics at the thylakoid membrane is presented.