scholarly journals Towards a molecular mechanism underlying mitochondrial protein import through the TOM-TIM23 complex

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly C Ford ◽  
William John Allen ◽  
Goncalo C Pereira ◽  
Xia Liu ◽  
Mark S Dillingham ◽  
...  

Mitochondria contain over a thousand different proteins, which, aside from a few encoded on the mitochondrial genome, are translated in the cytosol and targeted for import. For the majority, the first port of call is the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM-complex); their onward journey is via a procession of alternative molecular machines, conducting transport to their final sub-compartment destination: the outer-mitochondrial membrane (OMM), inner-mitochondrial membrane (IMM), inter-membrane space (IMS) or matrix. The pre-sequence translocase of the inner-membrane (TIM23-complex) is responsible for importing proteins with cleavable pre-sequences, and comes in two distinct forms: the TIM23SORT complex mediates IMM protein insertion and the TIM23MOTOR complex is responsible for matrix import. Progress in understanding these transport mechanisms has, until recently, been hampered by the poor sensitivity and time-resolution of import assays. However, with the development of an assay based on split NanoLuc luciferase, we can now explore this process in greater detail. Here, we apply this new methodology to understand how ∆ψ and ATP hydrolysis, the two main driving forces for transport through the TIM23MOTOR complex, contribute to the import of pre-sequence-containing precursors (PCPs) with varying properties. Notably, we found that two major rate limiting steps define the PCP import time: passage of the PCP across the OMM and initiation of IMM transport by the pre-sequence. The rates of these steps are influenced by PCP properties such as size and net charge, but correlate poorly with the total amount of PCP imported - emphasising the importance of collecting rapid kinetic data to elucidating mechanistic detail. Our results also indicate that PCPs spend very little time in the TIM23 channel - presumably rapid success or failure of import is critical for maintaining mitochondrial health.

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-164
Author(s):  
Lan Wang ◽  
Peter Walter

Mitochondrial function depends on the efficient import of proteins synthesized in the cytosol. When cells experience stress, the efficiency and faithfulness of the mitochondrial protein import machinery are compromised, leading to homeostatic imbalances and damage to the organelle. Yeast Msp1 (mitochondrial sorting of proteins 1) and mammalian ATAD1 (ATPase family AAA domain–containing 1) are orthologous AAA proteins that, fueled by ATP hydrolysis, recognize and extract mislocalized membrane proteins from the outer mitochondrial membrane. Msp1 also extracts proteins that have become stuck in the import channel. The extracted proteins are targeted for proteasome-dependent degradation or, in the case of mistargeted tail-anchored proteins, are given another chance to be routed correctly. In addition, ATAD1 is implicated in the regulation of synaptic plasticity, mediating the release of neurotransmitter receptors from postsynaptic scaffolds to allow their trafficking. Here we discuss how structural and functional specialization imparts the unique properties that allow Msp1/ATAD1 ATPases to fulfill these diverse functions and also highlight outstanding questions in the field.


2011 ◽  
Vol 195 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Schulz ◽  
Oleksandr Lytovchenko ◽  
Jonathan Melin ◽  
Agnieszka Chacinska ◽  
Bernard Guiard ◽  
...  

N-terminal targeting signals (presequences) direct proteins across the TOM complex in the outer mitochondrial membrane and the TIM23 complex in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Presequences provide directionality to the transport process and regulate the transport machineries during translocation. However, surprisingly little is known about how presequence receptors interact with the signals and what role these interactions play during preprotein transport. Here, we identify signal-binding sites of presequence receptors through photo-affinity labeling. Using engineered presequence probes, photo cross-linking sites on mitochondrial proteins were mapped mass spectrometrically, thereby defining a presequence-binding domain of Tim50, a core subunit of the TIM23 complex that is essential for mitochondrial protein import. Our results establish Tim50 as the primary presequence receptor at the inner membrane and show that targeting signals and Tim50 regulate the Tim23 channel in an antagonistic manner.


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.


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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. Schlagowski ◽  
Katharina Knöringer ◽  
Sandrine Morlot ◽  
Ana Sáchez Vicente ◽  
Felix Boos ◽  
...  

AbstractThe formation of protein aggregates is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Observations on patient material and model systems demonstrated links between aggregate formation and declining mitochondrial functionality, but the causalities remained unclear. We used yeast as model system to analyze the relevance of mitochondrial processes for the behavior of an aggregation-prone polyQ protein derived from human huntingtin. Induction of Q97-GFP rapidly leads to insoluble cytosolic aggregates and cell death. Although this aggregation impairs mitochondrial respiration only slightly, it interferes with efficient import of mitochondrial precursor proteins. Mutants in the import component Mia40 are hypersensitive to Q97-GFP. Even more surprisingly, Mia40 overexpression strongly suppresses the formation of toxic Q97-GFP aggregates both in yeast and in human cells. Based on these observations, we propose that the posttranslational import into mitochondria competes with aggregation-prone cytosolic proteins for chaperones and proteasome capacity. Owing to its rate-limiting role for mitochondrial protein import, Mia40 acts as a regulatory component in this competition. This role of Mia40 as dynamic regulator in mitochondrial biogenesis can apparently be exploited to stabilize cytosolic proteostasis. (174/175 words)


2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (19) ◽  
pp. 19464-19470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeyoshi Asai ◽  
Takashi Takahashi ◽  
Masatoshi Esaki ◽  
Shuh-ichi Nishikawa ◽  
Kenzo Ohtsuka ◽  
...  

Protein import into mitochondria requires the energy of ATP hydrolysis inside and/or outside mitochondria. Although the role of ATP in the mitochondrial matrix in mitochondrial protein import has been extensively studied, the role of ATP outside mitochondria (external ATP) remains only poorly characterized. Here we developed a protocol for depletion of external ATP without significantly reducing the import competence of precursor proteins synthesizedin vitrowith reticulocyte lysate. We tested the effects of external ATP on the import of various precursor proteins into isolated yeast mitochondria. We found that external ATP is required for maintenance of the import competence of mitochondrial precursor proteins but that, once they bind to mitochondria, the subsequent translocation of presequence-containing proteins, but not the ADP/ATP carrier, proceeds independently of external ATP. Because depletion of cytosolic Hsp70 led to a decrease in the import competence of mitochondrial precursor proteins, external ATP is likely utilized by cytosolic Hsp70. In contrast, the ADP/ATP carrier requires external ATP for efficient import into mitochondria even after binding to mitochondria, a situation that is only partly attributed to cytosolic Hsp70.


2006 ◽  
Vol 174 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasushi Tamura ◽  
Yoshihiro Harada ◽  
Koji Yamano ◽  
Kazuaki Watanabe ◽  
Daigo Ishikawa ◽  
...  

Newly synthesized mitochondrial proteins are imported into mitochondria with the aid of protein translocator complexes in the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. We report the identification of yeast Tam41, a new member of mitochondrial protein translocator systems. Tam41 is a peripheral inner mitochondrial membrane protein facing the matrix. Disruption of the TAM41 gene led to temperature-sensitive growth of yeast cells and resulted in defects in protein import via the TIM23 translocator complex at elevated temperature both in vivo and in vitro. Although Tam41 is not a constituent of the TIM23 complex, depletion of Tam41 led to a decreased molecular size of the TIM23 complex and partial aggregation of Pam18 and -16. Import of Pam16 into mitochondria without Tam41 was retarded, and the imported Pam16 formed aggregates in vitro. These results suggest that Tam41 facilitates mitochondrial protein import by maintaining the functional integrity of the TIM23 protein translocator complex from the matrix side of the inner membrane.


2020 ◽  
Vol 401 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 723-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejana Mokranjac

AbstractBiogenesis of mitochondria relies on import of more than 1000 different proteins from the cytosol. Approximately 70% of these proteins follow the presequence pathway – they are synthesized with cleavable N-terminal extensions called presequences and reach the final place of their function within the organelle with the help of the TOM and TIM23 complexes in the outer and inner membranes, respectively. The translocation of proteins along the presequence pathway is powered by the import motor of the TIM23 complex. The import motor of the TIM23 complex is localized at the matrix face of the inner membrane and is likely the most complicated Hsp70-based system identified to date. How it converts the energy of ATP hydrolysis into unidirectional translocation of proteins into mitochondria remains one of the biggest mysteries of this translocation pathway. Here, the knowns and the unknowns of the mitochondrial protein import motor are discussed.


Author(s):  
Yanxin Liu ◽  
Daniel Elnatan ◽  
Ming Sun ◽  
Alexander G. Myasnikov ◽  
David A. Agard

AbstractTRAP1 is a mitochondrion specific Hsp90, a ubiquitous chaperone family that mediates the folding and maturation of hundreds of “client” proteins. Through the interaction with client proteins, TRAP1 regulates mitochondrial protein homeostasis, oxidative phosphorylation/glycolysis balance, and plays a critical role in mitochondrial dynamics and disease. However, the molecular mechanism of client protein recognition and remodeling by TRAP1 remains elusive. Here we established the succinate dehydrogenase B subunit (SdhB) from mitochondrial complex II as a client protein for TRAP1 amenable to detailed biochemical and structural investigation. SdhB accelerates the rate of TRAP1 dimer closure and ATP hydrolysis by 5-fold. Cryo-EM structures of the TRAP1:SdhB complex show TRAP1 stabilizes SdhB folding intermediates by trapping an SdhB segment in the TRAP1 lumen. Unexpectedly, client protein binding induces an asymmetric to symmetric transition in the TRAP1 closed state. Our results highlight a client binding mechanism conserved throughout Hsp90s that transcends the need for cochaperones and provide molecular insights into how TRAP1 modulates protein folding within mitochondria. Our structures also suggest a potential role for TRAP1 in Fe-S cluster biogenesis and mitochondrial protein import and will guide small molecule development for therapeutic intervention in specific TRAP1 client interactions.


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