Some effects of tetrazolium salt on the metabolism of mitochondria isolated from Jerusalem artichoke tubers.

A series of tetrazolium salts were found to accept electrons more readily from succinate than malate even though the rate of oxygen uptake was similar with both substrates. This difference was explained by showing that all the tetrazolium salts tested caused a reduction in electron flow between NAD(+) and Cyt.b. The tetrazolium salts were also found to be able to uncouple phosphorylation from electron transport. The monotetrazolium salts causing complete uncoupling around 100 μmoles/litre and the ditetrazolium salts causing complete uncoupling around 20 μmoles/litre.