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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Trends Cell Biol. 2021 Feb 3;31(6):445–456. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.01.006

Table 1.

Tools and Techniques to study ATP metabolism

Tool/Technique What it measures How it works References
Biochemical bulk measurements
Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer (Agilent) Glycolysis Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) measures change in extracellular pH (67)
Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer (Agilent) Mitochondrial respiration rate Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) measures change in oxygen concentration (40)
ATP bioluminescence assay ATP Luciferase chemiluminescence proportional to ATP concentration (40)
13C metabolic flux analysis Metabolic flux stable 13C-glucose or 13C-glutamine incorporation analysis by mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance (68)
Inhibitors
2-deoxyglucose Glycolysis Hexokinase inhibitor (67)
3-bromopyruvate Glycolysis Hexokinase II inhibitor (69)
Rotenone OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex I inhibitor (40)
Thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA) OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex II inhibitor and OXPHOS uncoupler (70)
3-nitropropionic acid OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex II inhibitor (71)
Malonate OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex II inhibitor (reversible) (72)
Antimycin A OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex III inhibitor (72)
Sodium azide OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex IV inhibitor (72)
Oligomycin OXPHOS Mitochondrial complex V inhibitor (49)
Carbonyl cyanide-4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazon (FCCP) ATP synthesis Uncoupler of mitochondrial OXPHOS by disrupting proton gradient (40)
Phloretin Glucose import GLUT inhibitor (67)
Phlorizin Glucose import SGLT inhibitor (67)
Fluorescent dyes (excitation/emission wavelength)
Mitotracker Mitochondrial morphology Cell permeable, mitochondrion specific dyes. Various spectra available (73)
MitoView Mitochondrial morphology Cell permeable, mitochondrion specific dyes. Various spectra available (74)
MitoSOX Mitochondrial superoxides Red mitochondrial superoxide indicator (510/580) (75)
TMRE/TMRM Mitochondrial membrane potential Red fluorescence based on mitochondrial membrane potential (549/574nm) (73)
MitoProbe DiIC1(5) Mitochondria Membrane Potential Far red fluorescence signal increases with increased mitochondrial activity (638/658) (76)
2-NBDG/6-NBDG Glucose Green fluorescent glucose analog (465/540nm) (56)
Genetically encoded biosensors (excitation/emission wavelength)
PyronicSF Pyruvate Intensiometric (488/525) (77)
Laconic Lactate FRET ratiometric (430/485,528) (78)
OGsor 2-oxaloglutarate FRET ratiometric (440/478,528) (78)
PercevalHR ATP:ADP Ratiometric (405,490/530nm) (79)
ATeams ATP FRET ratiometric (435/475,527) (80)
BTeam ATP BRET ratiometric (no excitation required/460,527nm) (81)
iATPsnFR ATP Intensiometric (490/512) (66)
NAD+ biosensor NAD+ Intensiometric (488/520) (82)
Peredox NADH-NAD+ Intensiometric (488/520) (83)
Green Glifon 50, 600, 4000 Glucose Intensiometric (488/525) (84)
FGBP Glucose Intensiometric (485,400/528) (85)
iGlucoSnFR Glucose Intensiometric (488/495-575) (86)