Sources of intramitochondrial malate

Liver mitochondria from rats treated with gluconeogenic hormones or subjected to vigorous exercise consume oxygen more rapidly than do mitochondria from control rats. These treatments result in elevated mitochondrial malate concentrations, which facilitate the entry of added substrate into the mitochondria. In this paper we describe experiments conducted to determine the source of the extra malate. Injections of glutamate plus alanine, two amino acids that are increased in blood after exercise and hormone treatment, caused liver mitochondrial malate to be increased. Injections of glucagon, cortisol, or both hormones elevated liver mitochondrial malate concentrations in both adrenalectomized and sham-operated rats.