scholarly journals Transport of proteins to the mitochondrial intermembrane space: the ‘sorting’ domain of the cytochrome c1 presequence is a stop-transfer sequence specific for the mitochondrial inner membrane.

1987 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 2441-2448 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. van Loon ◽  
G. Schatz
2016 ◽  
Vol 214 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Non Miyata ◽  
Yasunori Watanabe ◽  
Yasushi Tamura ◽  
Toshiya Endo ◽  
Osamu Kuge

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is an essential phospholipid for mitochondrial functions and is synthesized mainly by phosphatidylserine (PS) decarboxylase at the mitochondrial inner membrane. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PS is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), such that mitochondrial PE synthesis requires PS transport from the ER to the mitochondrial inner membrane. Here, we provide evidence that Ups2–Mdm35, a protein complex localized at the mitochondrial intermembrane space, mediates PS transport for PE synthesis in respiration-active mitochondria. UPS2- and MDM35-null mutations greatly attenuated conversion of PS to PE in yeast cells growing logarithmically under nonfermentable conditions, but not fermentable conditions. A recombinant Ups2–Mdm35 fusion protein exhibited phospholipid-transfer activity between liposomes in vitro. Furthermore, UPS2 expression was elevated under nonfermentable conditions and at the diauxic shift, the metabolic transition from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation. These results demonstrate that Ups2–Mdm35 functions as a PS transfer protein and enhances mitochondrial PE synthesis in response to the cellular metabolic state.


mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph T. Smith ◽  
Ujjal K. Singha ◽  
Smita Misra ◽  
Minu Chaudhuri

ABSTRACT The small Tim proteins belong to a group of mitochondrial intermembrane space chaperones that aid in the import of mitochondrial inner membrane proteins with internal targeting signals. Trypanosoma brucei , the protozoan parasite that causes African trypanosomiasis, possesses multiple small Tim proteins that include homologues of T. brucei Tim9 (TbTim9) and Tim10 (TbTim10) and a unique small Tim that shares homology with both Tim8 and Tim13 (TbTim8/13). Here, we found that these three small TbTims are expressed as soluble mitochondrial intermembrane space proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis showed that the small TbTims stably associated with each other and with TbTim17, the major component of the mitochondrial inner membrane translocase in T. brucei . Yeast two-hybrid analysis indicated direct interactions among the small TbTims; however, their interaction patterns appeared to be different from those of their counterparts in yeast and humans. Knockdown of the small TbTims reduced cell growth and decreased the steady-state level of TbTim17 and T. brucei ADP/ATP carrier (TbAAC), two polytopic mitochondrial inner membrane proteins. Knockdown of small TbTims also reduced the matured complexes of TbTim17 in mitochondria. Depletion of any of the small TbTims reduced TbTim17 import moderately but greatly hampered the stability of the TbTim17 complexes in T. brucei . Altogether, our results revealed that TbTim9, TbTim10, and TbTim8/13 interact with each other, associate with TbTim17, and play a crucial role in the integrity and maintenance of the levels of TbTim17 complexes. IMPORTANCE Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of African sleeping sickness. The parasite’s mitochondrion represents a useful source for potential chemotherapeutic targets. Similarly to yeast and humans, mitochondrial functions depend on the import of proteins that are encoded in the nucleus and made in the cytosol. Even though the machinery involved in this mitochondrial protein import process is becoming clearer in T. brucei , a comprehensive picture of protein complex composition and function is still lacking. In this study, we characterized three T. brucei small Tim proteins, TbTim9, TbTim10, and TbTim8/13. Although the parasite does not have the classical TIM22 complex that imports mitochondrial inner membrane proteins containing internal targeting signals in yeast or humans, we found that these small TbTims associate with TbTim17, the major subunit of the TbTIM complex in T. brucei , and play an essential role in the stability of the TbTim17 complexes. Therefore, these divergent proteins are critical for mitochondrial protein biogenesis in T. brucei .


BMC Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike Rampelt ◽  
Iva Sucec ◽  
Beate Bersch ◽  
Patrick Horten ◽  
Inge Perschil ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) plays a central role in energy metabolism by transporting pyruvate across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Its heterodimeric composition and homology to SWEET and semiSWEET transporters set the MPC apart from the canonical mitochondrial carrier family (named MCF or SLC25). The import of the canonical carriers is mediated by the carrier translocase of the inner membrane (TIM22) pathway and is dependent on their structure, which features an even number of transmembrane segments and both termini in the intermembrane space. The import pathway of MPC proteins has not been elucidated. The odd number of transmembrane segments and positioning of the N-terminus in the matrix argues against an import via the TIM22 carrier pathway but favors an import via the flexible presequence pathway. Results Here, we systematically analyzed the import pathways of Mpc2 and Mpc3 and report that, contrary to an expected import via the flexible presequence pathway, yeast MPC proteins with an odd number of transmembrane segments and matrix-exposed N-terminus are imported by the carrier pathway, using the receptor Tom70, small TIM chaperones, and the TIM22 complex. The TIM9·10 complex chaperones MPC proteins through the mitochondrial intermembrane space using conserved hydrophobic motifs that are also required for the interaction with canonical carrier proteins. Conclusions The carrier pathway can import paired and non-paired transmembrane helices and translocate N-termini to either side of the mitochondrial inner membrane, revealing an unexpected versatility of the mitochondrial import pathway for non-cleavable inner membrane proteins.


2007 ◽  
Vol 409 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity H. Alcock ◽  
J. Günter Grossmann ◽  
Ian E. Gentle ◽  
Vladimir A. Likić ◽  
Trevor Lithgow ◽  
...  

Mitochondria were derived from intracellular bacteria and the mitochondrial intermembrane space is topologically equivalent to the bacterial periplasm. Both compartments contain ATP-independent chaperones involved in the transport of hydrophobic membrane proteins. The mitochondrial TIM (translocase of the mitochondrial inner membrane) 10 complex and the periplasmic chaperone SurA were examined in terms of evolutionary relation, structural similarity, substrate binding specificity and their function in transporting polypeptides for insertion into membranes. The two chaperones are evolutionarily unrelated; structurally, they are also distinct both in their characteristics, as determined by SAXS (small-angle X-ray scattering), and in pairwise structural comparison using the distance matrix alignment (DALILite server). Despite their structural differences, SurA and the TIM10 complex share a common binding specificity in Pepscan assays of substrate proteins. Comprehensive analysis of the binding on a total of 1407 immobilized 13-mer peptides revealed that the TIM10 complex, like SurA, does not bind hydrophobic peptides generally, but that both chaperones display selectivity for peptides rich in aromatic residues and with net positive charge. This common binding specificity was not sufficient for SurA to completely replace TIM10 in yeast cells in vivo. In yeast cells lacking TIM10, when SurA is targeted to the intermembrane space of mitochondria, it binds translocating substrate proteins, but fails to completely transfer the substrate to the translocase in the mitochondrial inner membrane. We suggest that SurA was incapable of presenting substrates effectively to the primitive TOM (translocase of the mitochondrial outer membrane) and TIM complexes in early mitochondria, and was replaced by the more effective small Tim chaperone.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 2926-2933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Burri ◽  
Yvan Strahm ◽  
Christine J. Hawkins ◽  
Ian E. Gentle ◽  
Michelle A. Puryer ◽  
...  

DIABLO/Smac is a mitochondrial protein that can promote apoptosis by promoting the release and activation of caspases. To do so, DIABLO/Smac must first be processed by a mitochondrial protease and then released into the cytosol, and we show this in an intact cellular system. We propose that the precursor form of DIABLO/Smac enters the mitochondria through a stop-transfer pathway and is processed to its active form by the inner membrane peptidase (IMP) complex. Catalytic subunits of the mammalian IMP complex were identified based on sequence conservation and functional complementation, and the novel sequence motif RX5P in Imp1 and NX5S in Imp2 distinguish the two catalytic subunits. DIABLO/Smac is one of only a few specific proteins identified as substrates for the IMP complex in the mitochondrial intermembrane space.


2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1010-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Stiburek ◽  
Jana Cesnekova ◽  
Olga Kostkova ◽  
Daniela Fornuskova ◽  
Kamila Vinsova ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA) proteases are involved in the quality control and processing of inner-membrane proteins. Here we investigate the cellular activities of YME1L, the human orthologue of the Yme1 subunit of the yeast i‑AAA complex, using stable short hairpin RNA knockdown and expression experiments. Human YME1L is shown to be an integral membrane protein that exposes its carboxy-terminus to the intermembrane space and exists in several complexes of 600–1100 kDa. The stable knockdown of YME1L in human embryonic kidney 293 cells led to impaired cell proliferation and apoptotic resistance, altered cristae morphology, diminished rotenone-sensitive respiration, and increased susceptibility to mitochondrial membrane protein carbonylation. Depletion of YME1L led to excessive accumulation of nonassembled respiratory chain subunits (Ndufb6, ND1, and Cox4) in the inner membrane. This was due to a lack of YME1L proteolytic activity, since the excessive accumulation of subunits was reversed by overexpression of wild-type YME1L but not a proteolytically inactive YME1L variant. Similarly, the expression of wild-type YME1L restored the lamellar cristae morphology of YME1L-deficient mitochondria. Our results demonstrate the importance of mitochondrial inner-membrane proteostasis to both mitochondrial and cellular function and integrity and reveal a novel role for YME1L in the proteolytic regulation of respiratory chain biogenesis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 401 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 737-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruairidh Edwards ◽  
Sarah Gerlich ◽  
Kostas Tokatlidis

AbstractThe mitochondrial intermembrane space (IMS) houses a large spectrum of proteins with distinct and critical functions. Protein import into this mitochondrial sub-compartment is underpinned by an intriguing variety of pathways, many of which are still poorly understood. The constricted volume of the IMS and the topological segregation by the inner membrane cristae into a bulk area surrounded by the boundary inner membrane and the lumen within the cristae is an important factor that adds to the complexity of the protein import, folding and assembly processes. We discuss the main import pathways into the IMS, but also how IMS proteins are degraded or even retro-translocated to the cytosol in an integrated network of interactions that is necessary to maintain a healthy balance of IMS proteins under physiological and cellular stress conditions. We conclude this review by highlighting new and exciting perspectives in this area with a view to develop a better understanding of yet unknown, likely unconventional import pathways, how presequence-less proteins can be targeted and the basis for dual localisation in the IMS and the cytosol. Such knowledge is critical to understanding the dynamic changes of the IMS proteome in response to stress, and particularly important for maintaining optimal mitochondrial fitness.


2009 ◽  
Vol 186 (6) ◽  
pp. 793-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel M. DeVay ◽  
Lenin Dominguez-Ramirez ◽  
Laura L. Lackner ◽  
Suzanne Hoppins ◽  
Henning Stahlberg ◽  
...  

Two dynamin-related protein (DRP) families are essential for fusion of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes, Fzo1 (yeast)/Mfn1/Mfn2 (mammals) and Mgm1 (yeast)/Opa1 (mammals), respectively. Fzo1/Mfns possess two medial transmembrane domains, which place their critical GTPase and coiled-coil domains in the cytosol. In contrast, Mgm1/Opa1 are present in cells as long (l) isoforms that are anchored via the N terminus to the inner membrane, and short (s) isoforms were predicted to be soluble in the intermembrane space. We addressed the roles of Mgm1 isoforms and how DRPs function in membrane fusion. Our analysis indicates that in the absence of a membrane, l- and s-Mgm1 both exist as inactive GTPase monomers, but that together in trans they form a functional dimer in a cardiolipin-dependent manner that is the building block for higher-order assemblies.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 248-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Tatsuta ◽  
Kirstin Model ◽  
Thomas Langer

Prohibitins comprise a remarkably conserved protein family in eukaryotic cells with proposed functions in cell cycle progression, senescence, apoptosis, and the regulation of mitochondrial activities. Two prohibitin homologues, Phb1 and Phb2, assemble into a high molecular weight complex of ∼1.2 MDa in the mitochondrial inner membrane, but a nuclear localization of Phb1 and Phb2 also has been reported. Here, we have analyzed the biogenesis and structure of the prohibitin complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both Phb1 and Phb2 subunits are targeted to mitochondria by unconventional noncleavable targeting sequences at their amino terminal end. Membrane insertion involves binding of newly imported Phb1 to Tim8/13 complexes in the intermembrane space and is mediated by the TIM23-translocase. Assembly occurs via intermediate-sized complexes of ∼120 kDa containing both Phb1 and Phb2. Conserved carboxy-terminal coiled-coil regions in both subunits mediate the formation of large assemblies in the inner membrane. Single particle electron microscopy of purified prohibitin complexes identifies diverse ring-shaped structures with outer dimensions of ∼270 × 200 Å. Implications of these findings for proposed cellular activities of prohibitins are discussed.


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