scholarly journals A discrete pathway for the transfer of intermembrane space proteins across the outer membrane of mitochondria

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (25) ◽  
pp. 3999-4009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Gornicka ◽  
Piotr Bragoszewski ◽  
Piotr Chroscicki ◽  
Lena-Sophie Wenz ◽  
Christian Schulz ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial proteins are synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes and imported into mitochondria with the help of protein translocases. For the majority of precursor proteins, the role of the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM) and mechanisms of their transport across the outer mitochondrial membrane are well recognized. However, little is known about the mode of membrane translocation for proteins that are targeted to the intermembrane space via the redox-driven mitochondrial intermembrane space import and assembly (MIA) pathway. On the basis of the results obtained from an in organello competition import assay, we hypothesized that MIA-dependent precursor proteins use an alternative pathway to cross the outer mitochondrial membrane. Here we demonstrate that this alternative pathway involves the protein channel formed by Tom40. We sought a translocation intermediate by expressing tagged versions of MIA-dependent proteins in vivo. We identified a transient interaction between our model substrates and Tom40. Of interest, outer membrane translocation did not directly involve other core components of the TOM complex, including Tom22. Thus MIA-dependent proteins take another route across the outer mitochondrial membrane that involves Tom40 in a form that is different from the canonical TOM complex.

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.


2016 ◽  
Vol 397 (11) ◽  
pp. 1097-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian P. Straub ◽  
Sebastian B. Stiller ◽  
Nils Wiedemann ◽  
Nikolaus Pfanner

Abstract Mitochondria contain elaborate machineries for the import of precursor proteins from the cytosol. The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) performs the initial import of precursor proteins and transfers the precursors to downstream translocases, including the presequence translocase and the carrier translocase of the inner membrane, the mitochondrial import and assembly machinery of the intermembrane space, and the sorting and assembly machinery of the outer membrane. Although the protein translocases can function as separate entities in vitro, recent studies revealed a close and dynamic cooperation of the protein import machineries to facilitate efficient transfer of precursor proteins in vivo. In addition, protein translocases were found to transiently interact with distinct machineries that function in the respiratory chain or in the maintenance of mitochondrial membrane architecture. Mitochondrial protein import is embedded in a regulatory network that ensures protein biogenesis, membrane dynamics, bioenergetic activity and quality control.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 4172-4182 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Laura Sherman ◽  
Nancy E. Go ◽  
Frank E. Nargang

The TOM (translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane) complex of the outer mitochondrial membrane is required for the import of proteins into the organelle. The core TOM complex contains five proteins, including three small components Tom7, Tom6, and Tom5. We have created single and double mutants of all combinations of the three small Tom proteins of Neurospora crassa. Analysis of the mutants revealed that Tom6 plays a major role in TOM complex stability, whereas Tom7 has a lesser role. Mutants lacking both Tom6 and Tom7 have an extremely labile TOM complex and are the only class of mutant to exhibit an altered growth phenotype. Although single mutants lacking N. crassa Tom5 have no apparent TOM complex abnormalities, studies of double mutants lacking Tom5 suggest that it also has a minor role in maintaining TOM complex stability. Our inability to isolate triple mutants supports the idea that the three proteins have overlapping functions. Mitochondria lacking either Tom6 or Tom7 are differentially affected in their ability to import different precursor proteins into the organelle, suggesting that they may play roles in the sorting of proteins to different mitochondrial subcompartments. Newly imported Tom40 was readily assembled into the TOM complex in mitochondria lacking any of the small Tom proteins.


2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (44) ◽  
pp. 45701-45707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Esaki ◽  
Hidaka Shimizu ◽  
Tomoko Ono ◽  
Hayashi Yamamoto ◽  
Takashi Kanamori ◽  
...  

Protein translocation across the outer mitochondrial membrane is mediated by the translocator called the TOM (translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane) complex. The TOM complex possesses two presequence binding sites on the cytosolic side (thecissite) and on the intermembrane space side (thetranssite). Here we analyzed the requirement of presequence elements and subunits of the TOM complex for presequence binding to thecisandtranssites of the TOM complex. The N-terminal 14 residues of the presequence of subunit 9 of F0-ATPase are required for binding to thetranssite. The interaction between the presequence and thecissite is not sufficient to anchor the precursor protein to the TOM complex. Tom7 constitutes or is close to thetranssite and has overlapping functions with the C-terminal intermembrane space domain of Tom22 in the mitochondrial protein import.


2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1445-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreja Vasiljev ◽  
Uwe Ahting ◽  
Frank E. Nargang ◽  
Nancy E. Go ◽  
Shukry J. Habib ◽  
...  

Precursor proteins of the solute carrier family and of channel forming Tim components are imported into mitochondria in two main steps. First, they are translocated through the TOM complex in the outer membrane, a process assisted by the Tim9/Tim10 complex. They are passed on to the TIM22 complex, which facilitates their insertion into the inner membrane. In the present study, we have analyzed the function of the Tim9/Tim10 complex in the translocation of substrates across the outer membrane of mitochondria. The purified TOM core complex was reconstituted into lipid vesicles in which purified Tim9/Tim10 complex was entrapped. The precursor of the ADP/ATP carrier (AAC) was found to be translocated across the membrane of such lipid vesicles. Thus, these components are sufficient for translocation of AAC precursor across the outer membrane. Peptide libraries covering various substrate proteins were used to identify segments that are bound by Tim9/Tim10 complex upon translocation through the TOM complex. The patterns of binding sites on the substrate proteins suggest a mechanism by which portions of membrane-spanning segments together with flanking hydrophilic segments are recognized and bound by the Tim9/Tim10 complex as they emerge from the TOM complex into the intermembrane space.


2007 ◽  
Vol 282 (38) ◽  
pp. 27633-27639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Ott ◽  
Erik Norberg ◽  
Katharina M. Walter ◽  
Patrick Schreiner ◽  
Christian Kemper ◽  
...  

Cytochrome c release from mitochondria is a key event in apoptosis signaling that is regulated by Bcl-2 family proteins. Cleavage of the BH3-only protein Bid by multiple proteases leads to the formation of truncated Bid (tBid), which, in turn, promotes the oligomerization/insertion of Bax into the mitochondrial outer membrane and the resultant release of proteins residing in the intermembrane space. Bax, a monomeric protein in the cytosol, is targeted by a yet unknown mechanism to the mitochondria. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain this targeting specificity. Using mitochondria isolated from different mutants of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and recombinant proteins, we have now investigated components of the mitochondrial outer membrane that might be required for tBid/Bax-induced cytochrome c release. Here, we show that the protein translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane is required for Bax insertion and cytochrome c release.


2020 ◽  
Vol 401 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 709-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Callegari ◽  
Luis Daniel Cruz-Zaragoza ◽  
Peter Rehling

AbstractMitochondrial precursor proteins with amino-terminal presequences are imported via the presequence pathway, utilizing the TIM23 complex for inner membrane translocation. Initially, the precursors pass the outer membrane through the TOM complex and are handed over to the TIM23 complex where they are sorted into the inner membrane or translocated into the matrix. This handover process depends on the receptor proteins at the inner membrane, Tim50 and Tim23, which are critical for efficient import. In this review, we summarize key findings that shaped the current concepts of protein translocation along the presequence import pathway, with a particular focus on the precursor handover process from TOM to the TIM23 complex. In addition, we discuss functions of the human TIM23 pathway and the recently uncovered pathogenic mutations in TIM50.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Backes ◽  
Yury S. Bykov ◽  
Markus Räschle ◽  
Jialin Zhou ◽  
Svenja Lenhard ◽  
...  

SummaryMost mitochondrial proteins are synthesized as precursors in the cytosol and post-translationally transported into mitochondria. The mitochondrial surface protein Tom70 acts at the interface of the cytosol and mitochondria. In vitro import experiments identified Tom70 as targeting receptor, particularly for hydrophobic carriers. Using in vivo methods and high content screens, we revisited the question of Tom70 function and considerably expanded the set of Tom70-dependent mitochondrial proteins. We demonstrate that the crucial activity of Tom70 is its ability to recruit cytosolic chaperones to the outer membrane. Indeed, tethering an unrelated chaperone-binding domain onto the mitochondrial surface complements most of the defects caused by Tom70 deletion. Tom70-mediated chaperone recruitment reduces the proteotoxicity of mitochondrial precursor proteins, in particular of hydrophobic inner membrane proteins. Thus, our work suggests that the predominant function of Tom70 is to tether cytosolic chaperones to the outer mitochondrial membrane, rather than to serve as a mitochondria-specifying targeting receptor.


2013 ◽  
Vol 288 (23) ◽  
pp. 16451-16459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Becker ◽  
Susanne E. Horvath ◽  
Lena Böttinger ◽  
Natalia Gebert ◽  
Günther Daum ◽  
...  

The mitochondrial outer membrane contains proteinaceous machineries for the import and assembly of proteins, including TOM (translocase of the outer membrane) and SAM (sorting and assembly machinery). It has been shown that the dimeric phospholipid cardiolipin is required for the stability of TOM and SAM complexes and thus for the efficient import and assembly of β-barrel proteins and some α-helical proteins of the outer membrane. Here, we report that mitochondria deficient in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), the second non-bilayer-forming phospholipid, are impaired in the biogenesis of β-barrel proteins, but not of α-helical outer membrane proteins. The stability of TOM and SAM complexes is not disturbed by the lack of PE. By dissecting the import steps of β-barrel proteins, we show that an early import stage involving translocation through the TOM complex is affected. In PE-depleted mitochondria, the TOM complex binds precursor proteins with reduced efficiency. We conclude that PE is required for the proper function of the TOM complex.


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