A History of the First Uncoupling Protein, UCP1

The lack of energy conservation in brown adipose tissue mitochondria when prepared byconventional methods was established in the 1960s and was correlated with the thermogenicfunction of the tissue. In order to observe energy conservation, two requirements had to bemet: the removal of the endogenous fatty acids and the addition of a purine nucleotide. Thesetwo factors have been the essential tools that led to the discovery of the energy dissipationpathway, the uncoupling protein UCP1. The activity is regulated by these two ligands. Purinenucleotides bind from the cytosolic side of the protein and inhibit transport. Fatty acids actas seconds messengers of noradrenaline and increase the proton conductance. This reviewpresents a historical perspective of the steps that led to the discovery of UCP1, its regulation,and our current view on its mechanism of transport.