Molecular Genetic Evidence of the Ability of Alternative Oxidase to Support Respiratory Carbon Metabolism

With the cytochrome pathway inhibited, AOX was able to support considerable growth of cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Petit Havana SR1) cells but the efficiency of carbon utilization decreased dramatically. Antisense cells with decreased AOX protein did not grow, whereas sense cells with elevated AOX protein had higher growth and respiration rates than the wild type. In antisense cells a large accumulation of pyruvate resulted in aerobic ethanolic fermentation.