Mobilization of iron from ferritin by isolated mitochondria effects of species compatibility between ferritin and mitochondria and iron content of ferritin

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 677; no. 1; pp. 50 - 56
• Main Authors: Ulvik, R.J., Romslo, I., Roland, F., Crichton, R.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 18.09.1981
• Subjects: Animals; Ferritin; Ferritins - metabolism; Flavin Mononucleotide - metabolism; Horses; Humans; Iron - metabolism; Iron content; Iron mobilization; Kidney - metabolism; Kinetics; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - metabolism; Mitochondria, Liver - metabolism; Rats; Species Specificity; Iron mobilization; Mitochondria; Ferritin; Hepes; Species specificity; N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine- N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid; Iron content
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 0006-3002; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-4165(81)90144-6

Mitochondria mobilize iron from ferritin by a mechanism that depends on external FMN. With rat liver mitochondria, the rate of mobilization of iron is higher from rat liver ferritin than from horse spleen ferritin. With horse liver mitochondria, the rate of iron mobilization is higher from horse spleen ferritin than from rat liver ferritin. The results are explained by a higher affinity between mitochondria and ferritins of the same species. The mobilization of iron increases with the iron content of the ferritin and then levels off. A maximum is reached with ferritins containing about 1 200 iron atoms per molecule. The results represent further evidence that ferritin may function as a direct iron donor to the mitochondria.