Lipophilic chelator inhibition of electron transport in Escherichia coli

The lipophilic chelator bathophenanthroline inhibits electron transport in membranes from Escherichia coli. The less lipophilic 1,10-phenanthroline, bathophenanthroline sulfonate, and alpha,alpha-dipyridyl have little effect. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase is more sensitive to bathophenanthroline inhibition than lactate oxidase activity. Evidence for two sites of inhibition comes from the fact that both reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide menadione reductase and duroquinol oxidase activities are inhibited. Addition of uncouplers of phosphorylation before bathophenanthroline protects against inhibition.