Considerable quantitative variations in the competitive inhibition of NADH oxidase activity of bovine heart submitochondrial particles (SMP) by different samples of NAD- were observed. ADP-ribose (ADPR) was identified as the inhibitory contaminating substance responsible for variations in the inhibition observed. ADPR competitively inhibits NADH oxidation with Ki values (25 degrees C, pH 8.0) of 26 microM, 30 microM, and 180 microM for SMP, purified Complex I and three-subunit NADH dehydrogenase (FP), respectively. ADPR decreases NADH-induced flavin reduction and prolongs the cyclic bleaching of FP during aerobic oxidation of NADH. Ki for inhibition of the rotenone-sensitive NADH oxidase in SMP by ADPR does not depend on delta mu H+. The initial rate of the energy-dependent NAD+ reduction by succinate is insensitive to ADPR. The inhibitor increases the steady-state level of NAD+ reduction reached during aerobic succinate-supported reverse electron transfer catalyzed by tightly coupled SMP. The results obtained are consistent with the proposal on different nucleotide-binding sites operating in the direct and reverse reactions catalyzed by the mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone reductase.