The antibiotic W341C, its ion transport properties and inhibitory effects on mitochondrial substrate oxidation.

We have examined the ion transport properties and the inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial substrate oxidation by the antibiotic W341C. W341C was able to transport 22Na+ and 42K+ across a bulk carbon tetrachloride layer. A preference was shown for K+ transport. With equal molar antibiotic concentrations, W341C transported 42K+ at a greater rate than the K+-selective ionophore nigericin, but transported 22Na+ at a lesser rate than the Na+-selective ionophore monensin. Like nigericin, W341C was able to deplete mitochondrial K+, but not Mg2+ nor Ca2+. The inhibition of mitochondrial substrate oxidation by W341C paralleled the patterns obtained with nigericin. These data indicate that W341C is a K+-selective ionophore that inhibits mitochondrial substrate oxidation by a mechanism analogous to that of nigericin.