Promitochondria of anaerobically grown yeast. V. Energy transfer in the absence of an electron transfer chain.

Promitochondria of anaerobically grown Saccharomyces cerevisiae lack cytochromes aa(3), b, c(1), and c, as well as ubiquinone, yet catalyze a P(i)-ATP exchange reaction that is sensitive to uncouplers, rutamycin, and atractyloside. The promitochondrial P(i)-ATP exchange reaction is abolished by the cytoplasmic "petite" mutation, as well as by growth of the cells in the presence of erythromycin, which indicates a role of mitochondrial protein synthesis in the assembly of the energy transfer system. These observations demonstrate that mitochondrial energy transfer can occur in the absence of a respiratory chain.