EPR studies on the respiratory chain of wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mutants with a deficiency in succinate dehydrogenase.

1. Three nuclear mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae deficient in succinate dehydrogenase have been isolated. Two of these mutants are allelic. 2. The amount of covalently bound flavin of submitochondrial particles of the two allelic mutants is about 14% and that of the third mutant about 50% of the amount in wild-type particles. The turnover number of succinate dehydrogenase of particles is decreased in all mutants. The turnover number of fumarate reductase is increased in the two allelic mutants, but decreased in the third mutant. 3. EPR spectra, measured at 82 degrees K, show that the amplitude of the g equals 1.93 signal in particles of the two allelic mutants is less than 10% of that in wild-type particles. It is concluded that iron-sulphur centres other than those of succinate dehydrogenase make only a negligible contribution to the line at g equals 1.93 in wild-type particles. 4. EPR measurements below 20 degrees K show that the amplitude of the signal at g equals 2.01 detected in oxidized particles is decreased in particles of the two allelic mutants. 5. A signal with lines at g equals 2.027 and g equals 1.933 is detected at low temperatures in all particle preparations, even in those from a cytoplasmic petite mutant. It is suggested that this signal is derived from a contaminant and not from the inner membrane.