Redox equivalents and mitochondrial bioenergetics

Abstract

Mitochondrial energy metabolism depends upon high-flux and low-flux electron transfer pathways. The former provide the energy to support chemiosmotic coupling for oxidative phosphorylation. The latter provide mechanisms for signaling and control of mitochondrial functions. Few practical methods are available to measure rates of individual mitochondrial electron transfer reactions; however, a number of approaches are available to measure steady-state redox potentials (Eh) of donor/acceptor couples, and these can be used to gain insight into rate controlling reactions as well as mitochondrial bioenergetics. Redox changes within the respiratory electron transfer pathway are quantified by optical spectroscopy and measurement of changes in autofluorescence. Low-flux pathways involving thiol/disulfide redox couples are measured by redox Western blot and mass spectrometry-based redox proteomics. Together, the approaches provide the opportunity to develop integrated systems biology descriptions of mitochondrial redox signaling and control mechanisms.