Inhibition of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier by arginine-specific reagents.

The effect of arginine-specific reagents on the activity of the partially purified and reconstituted tricarboxylate carrier of the inner mitochondrial membrane has been studied. It has been found that 1,2-cyclohexanedione, 2,3-butanedione, phenylglyoxal and phenylglyoxal derivatives inhibit the reconstituted citrate/citrate exchange activity. The inhibitory potency of the phenylglyoxal derivatives increases with increasing hydrophilic character of the molecule. Citrate protects the tricarboxylate carrier against inactivation caused by the arginine-specific reagents. Other tricarboxylates, which are not substrates of the carrier, have no protective effect. The results indicate that at least one essential arginine residue is located at the substrate-binding site of the tricarboxylate carrier and that the vicinity of the essential arginine(s) has a hydrophilic character.