Differential staining of crystalline arrays of outer mitochondrial membrane channels

Author(s):  
Carmen A. Mannella ◽  
Joachim Frank

The mitochondrial outer membrane contains pore-forming polypeptides (Mr⋍= 30,000) which are its main protein components in plants and fungi. Outer membranes (OM) isolated from Neurospora mitochondria often contain extended regular arrays of subunits with stain-accumulating centers 2-3 nm in diameter. That these subunits are the mitochondrial channels has been established immunologically. Antibodies against the predominant 31-kDa OM polypeptide of Neurospora (a) prevent in vitro insertion of OM channels into bilayers and (b) preferentially bind to the crystalline membranes in OM fractions.Planar projections of individual OM channel layers have been reconstructed from electron micrographs of negatively stained crystalline vesicles by Fourier filtration. In the usual array (Fig. 1a) the unit cell is a parallelogram which can hold six stain centers (putative pore openings) arranged in a hexagon with p2 symmetry. There are large pore-free areas in these arrays (* in Fig. 1a) which are likely composed of phospholipid, since they disappear when the membranes are treated with phospholipase A2 (Fig. 1b).

2001 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Krimmer ◽  
Doron Rapaport ◽  
Michael T. Ryan ◽  
Chris Meisinger ◽  
C. Kenneth Kassenbrock ◽  
...  

Porin, also termed the voltage-dependent anion channel, is the most abundant protein of the mitochondrial outer membrane. The process of import and assembly of the protein is known to be dependent on the surface receptor Tom20, but the requirement for other mitochondrial proteins remains controversial. We have used mitochondria from Neurospora crassa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to analyze the import pathway of porin. Import of porin into isolated mitochondria in which the outer membrane has been opened is inhibited despite similar levels of Tom20 as in intact mitochondria. A matrix-destined precursor and the porin precursor compete for the same translocation sites in both normal mitochondria and mitochondria whose surface receptors have been removed, suggesting that both precursors utilize the general import pore. Using an assay established to monitor the assembly of in vitro–imported porin into preexisting porin complexes we have shown that besides Tom20, the biogenesis of porin depends on the central receptor Tom22, as well as Tom5 and Tom7 of the general import pore complex (translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane [TOM] core complex). The characterization of two new mutant alleles of the essential pore protein Tom40 demonstrates that the import of porin also requires a functional Tom40. Moreover, the porin precursor can be cross-linked to Tom20, Tom22, and Tom40 on its import pathway. We conclude that import of porin does not proceed through the action of Tom20 alone, but requires an intact outer membrane and involves at least four more subunits of the TOM machinery, including the general import pore.


1979 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-153
Author(s):  
G.C. Shore

Hepatic rough microsomes were incubated in a messenger-dependent protein-synthesizing system from rabbit reticulocytes. Up to 30% of the total product labelled with [35S]methionine, and subsequently recovered with the microsomes, was located in an intrinsic protein fraction associated with these membranes, i.e. was retained by the membrane following extensive sonication in the presence of 1.5 M KCl, 0.1% deoxycholate, and 5 mM ethylenediaminetetra-acetate (EDTA). When products synthesized with the use of membrane-free mRNA from rough microsomes and free polysome were post-incubated with rough microsomes, ribosome-stripped rough microsomes, or outer mitochondrial membrane, low amounts of intrinsic-type polypeptide product were recovered with these membranes. Higher recovery was achieved, however, when ribosome-stripped rough microsomes were added at the beginning of polypeptide synthesis in a reticulocyte lysate supplemented with additional ribosomal-wash factors. Analysis of these products by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that a number co-migrated with intrinsic proteins located in both rough microsomes and mitochondrial outer membrane. In addition, a prominent in vitro product co-migrated with a major protein which is located in outer mitochondrial membrane fractions, but is barely detectable in rough microsomal fractions. The present experiments were unable to detect a unique set of intrinsic polypeptides which were synthesized and assembled in vitro under the direction of mRNA from free polysomes, and not from rough microsomes. The results suggest that synthesis of at least some intrinsic membrane proteins which are destined for the outer mitochondrial membrane occurs on rough ER in rat liver.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 2276-2285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Schafer ◽  
Joel Quispe ◽  
Vineet Choudhary ◽  
Jerry E. Chipuk ◽  
Teddy G. Ajero ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) is a critical step in apoptosis and is regulated by Bcl-2 family proteins. In vitro systems using cardiolipin-containing liposomes have demonstrated the key features of MOMP induced by Bax and cleaved Bid; however, the nature of the “pores” and how they are formed remain obscure. We found that mitochondrial outer membranes contained very little cardiolipin, far less than that required for liposome permeabilization, despite their responsiveness to Bcl-2 family proteins. Strikingly, the incorporation of isolated mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) proteins into liposomes lacking cardiolipin conferred responsiveness to cleaved Bid and Bax. Cardiolipin dependence was observed only when permeabilization was induced with cleaved Bid but not with Bid or Bim BH3 peptide or oligomerized Bax. Therefore, we conclude that MOM proteins specifically assist cleaved Bid in Bax-mediated permeabilization. Cryoelectron microscopy of cardiolipin-liposomes revealed that cleaved Bid and Bax produced large round holes with diameters of 25–100 nm, suggestive of lipidic pores. In sum, we propose that activated Bax induces lipidic pore formation and that MOM proteins assist cleaved Bid in this process in the absence of cardiolipin.


1980 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-147
Author(s):  
J. Spacek ◽  
A.R. Lieberman

This study is concerned with extensions of the outer membranes of mitochondria in cells of nervous tissue, and with possible relationships between the extensions and the agranular reticulum. A variety of preparative techniques was applied to a large number of different central nervous tissues (CNS) and peripheral nervous tissues (PNS), using conventional thin sections, thicker sections (100 nm or more) and 3-dimensional reconstructions of serial thin sections. Extensions were commonly observed, particularly from the ends of longitudinally oriented mitochondria in axons and dendrites. Often these had the appearance of, and could be traced into apparent continuity with, adjacent elements of the agranular membrane. In addition to these apical tubular extensions, we also observed and reconstructed short lateral tubular or sac-like extensions and vesicular protrusions of the outer mitochondrial membrane. We discuss and discount the possibility that the extensions are artefacts, consider the structural and biochemical similarities between the outer mitochondrial membrane and agranular reticulum and propose that the outer mitochondrial is part of the agranular reticulum (or a specialized portion of the agranular reticulum). We suggest that the translocation of mitochondria in nerve cells, and probably in other cells as well, involves movement of the inner mitochondrial membrane and the enclosed matrix (mitoplast) within channels of agranular reticulum in continuity, or in transient continuity, with the outer mitochondrial membrane.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Xu ◽  
Guihong Peng ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Shengyun Fang ◽  
Mariusz Karbowski

Recent studies have revealed a role for the ubiquitin/proteasome system in the regulation and turnover of outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM)-associated proteins. Although several molecular components required for this process have been identified, the mechanism of proteasome-dependent degradation of OMM-associated proteins is currently unclear. We show that an AAA-ATPase, p97, is required for the proteasomal degradation of Mcl1 and Mfn1, two unrelated OMM proteins with short half-lives. A number of biochemical assays, as well as imaging of changes in localization of photoactivable GFP-fused Mcl1, revealed that p97 regulates the retrotranslocation of Mcl1 from mitochondria to the cytosol, prior to, or concurrent with, proteasomal degradation. Mcl1 retrotranslocation from the OMM depends on the activity of the ATPase domain of p97. Furthermore, p97-mediated retrotranslocation of Mcl1 can be recapitulated in vitro, confirming a direct mitochondrial role for p97. Our results establish p97 as a novel and essential component of the OMM-associated protein degradation pathway.


Acta Naturae ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 100-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. Fadeeva ◽  
N. V. Antipova ◽  
V. O. Shender ◽  
K. S. Anufrieva ◽  
G. A. Stepanov ◽  
...  

In response to the wide variety of external and internal signals, mammalian cells undergo apoptosis, programmed cell death. Dysregulation of apoptosis is involved in multiple human diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity, and ischemic injuries. Two types of apoptosis have been described: the caspase-dependent one, leading to digestion of cellular proteins, and caspase-independent apoptosis, resulting in DNA fragmentation. The latter type of apoptosis is executed by AIF protein and is believed to have appeared first during evolution. The key step in the caspase-independent apoptosis program is the dissociation of AIF from the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). However, the molecular mechanism of interaction between AIF and OMM remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that AIF can bind to OMM via mortalin protein. We confirmed interaction between AIF and mortalin both in vitro and in vivo and mapped the amino acid sequences that are important for the binding of these proteins. Next, we showed that apoptosis induction by chemotherapy leads to downregulation of AIF-mortalin interaction and dissociation of AIF from the OMM. Finally, a bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that a high level of mortalin expression correlates with a worse survival prognosis for glioma patients. Altogether, our data revealed that mortalin plays an important role in the regulation of the caspase-independent apoptotic pathway and allowed us to speculate that inhibition of AIF-mortalin interaction may induce a dissociation of AIF from the OMM and subsequent apoptosis of cancer cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (40) ◽  
pp. 19924-19929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin H. Lipper ◽  
Jason T. Stofleth ◽  
Fang Bai ◽  
Yang-Sung Sohn ◽  
Susmita Roy ◽  
...  

MitoNEET is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein essential for sensing and regulation of iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. It is a key player in multiple human maladies including diabetes, cancer, neurodegeneration, and Parkinson’s diseases. In healthy cells, mitoNEET receives its clusters from the mitochondrion and transfers them to acceptor proteins in a process that could be altered by drugs or during illness. Here, we report that mitoNEET regulates the outer-mitochondrial membrane (OMM) protein voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1). VDAC1 is a crucial player in the cross talk between the mitochondria and the cytosol. VDAC proteins function to regulate metabolites, ions, ROS, and fatty acid transport, as well as function as a “governator” sentry for the transport of metabolites and ions between the cytosol and the mitochondria. We find that the redox-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster protein mitoNEET gates VDAC1 when mitoNEET is oxidized. Addition of the VDAC inhibitor 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate (DIDS) prevents both mitoNEET binding in vitro and mitoNEET-dependent mitochondrial iron accumulation in situ. We find that the DIDS inhibitor does not alter the redox state of MitoNEET. Taken together, our data indicate that mitoNEET regulates VDAC in a redox-dependent manner in cells, closing the pore and likely disrupting VDAC’s flow of metabolites.


2005 ◽  
Vol 171 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doron Rapaport

A multisubunit translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM complex) mediates both the import of mitochondrial precursor proteins into the internal compartments of the organelle and the insertion of proteins residing in the mitochondrial outer membrane. The proposed β-barrel structure of Tom40, the pore-forming component of the translocase, raises the question of how the apparent uninterrupted β-barrel topology can be compatible with a role of Tom40 in releasing membrane proteins into the lipid core of the bilayer. In this review, I discuss insertion mechanisms of proteins into the outer membrane and present alternative models based on the opening of a multisubunit β-barrel TOM structure or on the interaction of outer membrane precursors with the outer face of the Tom40 β-barrel structure.


2014 ◽  
Vol 395 (12) ◽  
pp. 1435-1442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Mertins ◽  
Georgios Psakis ◽  
Lars-Oliver Essen

Abstract Voltage dependent anion channels (VDACs) are the most abundant proteins in the outer mitochondrial membrane. Although they are essential in metabolite exchange, cell defense and apoptosis, the molecular mechanism of these VDAC-mediated processes remains elusive. Here we review recent progress in terms of VDACs’ structure and regulation, with a special focus on the molecular aspects of gating and the interaction with effector proteins.


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