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TbDSS-1, an essential Trypanosoma brucei exoribonuclease homolog that has pleiotropic effects on mitochondrial RNA metabolism.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondrial gene expression in trypanosomes is controlled primarily at the levels of RNA processing and RNA stability. This regulation undoubtedly involves numerous ribonucleases. Here we characterize the Trypanosoma brucei homolog of the yeast DSS-1 mitochondrial exoribonuclease, which we term TbDSS-1. Biochemical fractionation indicates that TbDSS-1 is mitochondrially localized, as predicted by its N-terminal sequence. In contrast to its yeast homolog, TbDSS-1 does not appear to be associated with mitochondrial ribosomes. Targeted downregulation of TbDSS-1 by RNA interference in procyclic-form T. brucei results in a severe growth defect. In addition, TbDSS-1 depletion leads to a decrease in the levels of never edited cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) mRNA and both unedited and edited COIII mRNAs, indicating this enzyme functions in the control of mitochondrial RNA abundance. We also observe a considerable reduction in the level of edited apocytochrome b (CYb) mRNA and a corresponding increase in unedited CYb mRNA, suggesting that TbDSS-1 functions, either directly or indirectly, in the control of RNA editing. The abundance of both gCYb[560] and gA6[149] guide RNAs is reduced upon TbDSS-1 depletion, although the reduction in gCYb[560] is much more dramatic. The significant reduction in gCYb levels could potentially account for the observed decrease in CYb RNA editing. Western blot analyses of mitochondrial RNA editing and stability factors indicate that the perturbations of RNA levels observed in TbDSS-1 knock-downs do not result from secondary effects on other mitochondrial proteins. In all, these data demonstrate that TbDSS-1 is an essential protein that plays a role in mitochondrial RNA stability and RNA editing.

SUBMITTER: Penschow JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC522597 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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TbDSS-1, an essential Trypanosoma brucei exoribonuclease homolog that has pleiotropic effects on mitochondrial RNA metabolism.

Penschow Jonelle L JL Sleve Daniel A DA Ryan Christopher M CM Read Laurie K LK

Eukaryotic cell 20041001 5

Mitochondrial gene expression in trypanosomes is controlled primarily at the levels of RNA processing and RNA stability. This regulation undoubtedly involves numerous ribonucleases. Here we characterize the Trypanosoma brucei homolog of the yeast DSS-1 mitochondrial exoribonuclease, which we term TbDSS-1. Biochemical fractionation indicates that TbDSS-1 is mitochondrially localized, as predicted by its N-terminal sequence. In contrast to its yeast homolog, TbDSS-1 does not appear to be associate ...[more]

PMID: 15470249

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Project description:The sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma brucei has a complex life cycle, alternating between a mammalian host and the tsetse fly vector. A tightly controlled developmental programme ensures parasite transmission between hosts as well as survival within them and involves strict regulation of mitochondrial activities. In the glucose-rich bloodstream, the replicative 'slender' stage is thought to produce ATP exclusively via glycolysis and uses the mitochondrial F1FO-ATP synthase as an ATP hydrolysis-driven proton pump to generate the mitochondrial membrane potential (??m). The 'procyclic' stage in the glucose-poor tsetse midgut depends on mitochondrial catabolism of amino acids for energy production, which involves oxidative phosphorylation with ATP production via the F1FO-ATP synthase. Both modes of the F1FO enzyme critically depend on FO subunit a, which is encoded in the parasite's mitochondrial DNA (kinetoplast or kDNA). Comparatively little is known about mitochondrial function and the role of kDNA in non-replicative 'stumpy' bloodstream forms, a developmental stage essential for disease transmission. Here we show that the L262P mutation in the nuclear-encoded F1 subunit ? that permits survival of 'slender' bloodstream forms lacking kDNA ('akinetoplastic' forms), via FO-independent generation of ??m, also permits their differentiation into stumpy forms. However, these akinetoplastic stumpy cells lack a ??m and have a reduced lifespan in vitro and in mice, which significantly alters the within-host dynamics of the parasite. We further show that generation of ??m in stumpy parasites and their ability to use ?-ketoglutarate to sustain viability depend on F1-ATPase activity. Surprisingly, however, loss of ??m does not reduce stumpy life span. We conclude that the L262P ? subunit mutation does not enable FO-independent generation of ??m in stumpy cells, most likely as a consequence of mitochondrial ATP production in these cells. In addition, kDNA-encoded genes other than FO subunit a are important for stumpy form viability.

Dataset Information

TbDSS-1, an essential Trypanosoma brucei exoribonuclease homolog that has pleiotropic effects on mitochondrial RNA metabolism.

Publications

TbDSS-1, an essential Trypanosoma brucei exoribonuclease homolog that has pleiotropic effects on mitochondrial RNA metabolism.

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