Importance of the osmolarity of the incubation medium on amino acid incorporation into protein by isolated rat liver mitochondria.

1. Incorporation of [(14)C]leucine into protein by isolated rat liver mitochondria was examined by using incubation media similar to those used by Sandell, Löw & Decken (1967) (medium A) and Roodyn, Reis & Work (1961) (medium B). The incorporation process was found to be almost completely inhibited in medium A. 2. By decreasing the amount of sucrose and omitting tris-hydrochloric acid from medium A, incorporation proceeded at a rate higher than that found in medium B. It was found that the inhibitory action of medium A was due to its high osmolarity. 3. Oxidative phosphorylation and RNA synthesis by the isolated mitochondria proceeded at the same rate in media essentially the same as media A and B. 4. There was a partial inhibitory action of medium A on leucine uptake by the mitochondria and also on the formation of leucyl-transfer-RNA. The major block of inhibition by the hyperosmolarity of medium A seemed to be located at a later step of protein synthesis involving mitochondrial ribosomes. 5. Protein synthesis by Escherichia coli B was only slightly inhibited, if at all, in hyperosmotic media in which protein synthesis by isolated mitochondria was completely stopped.