Carboxyatractyloside partially restored the transmembrane electrical potential difference (ΔΨ) dissipated by low concentrations of palmitate in pea stem mitochondria. This effect was more marked when mitochondria from sunflower were assayed. It is suggested that the ATP/ADP translocator is involved in the free fatty acid-induced uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in plant mitochondria, only when its level is sufficiently high and the concentration of the fatty acid is low to collapse only partially the ΔΨ.
