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Solubilization of soybean mitochondria in AOT/isooctane water‐in‐oil microemulsions
Author(s) -
Hochkoeppler Alejandro,
Luisi Pier Luigi
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260331115
Subject(s) - micelle , microemulsion , solubilization , chemistry , organelle , mitochondrion , chromatography , aqueous solution , hydrocarbon , pulmonary surfactant , nuclear chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry
The water‐in‐oil microemulsion system bis(2 ethyl‐hexyl‐sodium‐succinate (AOT)/isooctane/water is able to solubilize soybean nodules mitrochrondria. Transparent and thermodynamically stable hydrocarbon solutions are obtained, which can be assayed for mitochondrial activity just as aqueous solutions. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity was measured in vivo and gave in reverse micelles very similar results as in water. However the kinetic behavior of this reaction in AOT/isooctane reverse micelles shows some differences with respect to water. Mitochondria in reverse AOT micelles are able to retain about 70% of their initial MDH activity after three days. Mitochondria can be back‐transferred from reverse micelles to water and show respiratory activity almost identical to the native organelles. Electron microscopy studies show that the dimensions of mitochondria back‐transferred into water from AOT micelles are comparable to the dimensions of the native organelles.