Project description:Protein homeostasis in eukaryotic organelles and their progenitor prokaryotes is regulated by a series of ATP-dependent proteases including the caseinolytic protease complex (ClpXP). In chloroplasts, ClpXP has essential roles in organelle biogenesis and maintenance , but the significance of the plant mitochondrial ClpXP remains unknown and factors that aid coordination of nuclear and mitochondrial encoded subunits for complex assembly in mitochondria await discovery. In this study, we generated knock-out lines of the single copy mitochondrial Clp protease subunit, CLPP2, in Arabidopsis thaliana. They have higher abundance of transcripts from mitochondrial genes encoding OXPHOS protein complexes, while transcripts for nuclear genes encoding other subunits of the same complexes showed no change in transcript abundance. In contrast, the protein abundance of specific nuclear-encoded subunits in OXPHOS complexes I and V increased in knockouts, without accumulation of mitochondrial-encoded counterparts in the same complex. Protein complexes mainly or wholly encoded in the nucleus were unaffected. Analysis of protein import, assembly and function of Complex I revealed that while function was retained, protein homeostasis was disrupted through slower assembly, leading to accumulation of soluble subcomplexes of nuclear-encoded subunits after import. It is proposed that CLPP contributes to the mitochondrial protein degradation network through supporting coordination and assembly of protein complexes encoded across mitochondrial and nuclear genomes.
Project description:The mitochondrial matrix is unique in that it must integrate folding and assembly of proteins derived from nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. In C. elegans, the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) senses matrix protein misfolding and induces a program of nuclear gene expression, including mitochondrial chaperonins, to promote mitochondrial proteostasis. While misfolded mitochondrial matrix-localized ornithine trans-carbamylase (OTC) induces chaperonin expression, our understanding of mammalian UPRmt is rudimentary, reflecting a lack of acute triggers for UPRmt activation. This limitation has prevented analysis of the cellular responses to matrix protein misfolding and the effects of UPRmt on mitochondrial translation to control protein folding loads. Here, we combine pharmacological inhibitors of matrix-localized HSP90/TRAP1 or LON protease, which promote chaperonin expression, with global transcriptional and proteomic analysis to reveal an extensive and acute response of human cells to UPRmt. This response involved widespread induction of nuclear genes, including matrix-localized proteins involved in folding, pre-RNA processing and translation. Functional studies revealed rapid but reversible translation inhibition in mitochondria occurring concurrently with defects in pre-RNA processing due to transcriptional repression and LON-dependent turnover of the mitochondrial pre-RNA processing nuclease MRPP3. This study reveals that acute mitochondrial protein folding stress activates both increased chaperone availability within the matrix and reduced matrix-localized protein synthesis through translational inhibition, and provides a framework for further dissection of mammalian UPRmt. triplicate experiment of 3 conditions (untreated, GTPP treatment, CDDO treatment)
Project description:The mitochondrial matrix is unique in that it must integrate folding and assembly of proteins derived from nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. In C. elegans, the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) senses matrix protein misfolding and induces a program of nuclear gene expression, including mitochondrial chaperonins, to promote mitochondrial proteostasis. While misfolded mitochondrial matrix-localized ornithine trans-carbamylase (OTC) induces chaperonin expression, our understanding of mammalian UPRmt is rudimentary, reflecting a lack of acute triggers for UPRmt activation. This limitation has prevented analysis of the cellular responses to matrix protein misfolding and the effects of UPRmt on mitochondrial translation to control protein folding loads. Here, we combine pharmacological inhibitors of matrix-localized HSP90/TRAP1 or LON protease, which promote chaperonin expression, with global transcriptional and proteomic analysis to reveal an extensive and acute response of human cells to UPRmt. This response involved widespread induction of nuclear genes, including matrix-localized proteins involved in folding, pre-RNA processing and translation. Functional studies revealed rapid but reversible translation inhibition in mitochondria occurring concurrently with defects in pre-RNA processing due to transcriptional repression and LON-dependent turnover of the mitochondrial pre-RNA processing nuclease MRPP3. This study reveals that acute mitochondrial protein folding stress activates both increased chaperone availability within the matrix and reduced matrix-localized protein synthesis through translational inhibition, and provides a framework for further dissection of mammalian UPRmt. triplicate experiment of 2 conditions (untreated, GTPP treatment)
Project description:Protein homeostasis in eukaryotic organelles and their progenitor prokaryotes is regulated by a series of proteases including the caseinolytic protease (CLPP). CLPP has essential roles in chloroplast biogenesis and maintenance, but the significance of the plant mitochondrial CLPP remains unknown and factors that aid coordination of nuclear and mitochondrial encoded subunits for complex assembly in mitochondria await discovery. We generated knock-out lines of the single copy mitochondrial CLP protease subunit, CLPP2, in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutants have higher abundance of transcripts from mitochondrial genes encoding OXPHOS protein complexes, while transcripts for nuclear genes encoding other subunits of the same complexes showed no change in transcript abundance. In contrast, the protein abundance of specific nuclear-encoded subunits in OXPHOS complexes I and V increased in knockouts, without accumulation of mitochondrial-encoded counterparts in the same complex. Protein complexes mainly or entirely encoded in the nucleus were unaffected. Analysis of protein import, assembly and function of Complex I revealed that while function was retained, protein homeostasis was disrupted through slower assembly, leading to accumulation of soluble subcomplexes of nuclear-encoded subunits. Therefore, CLPP2 contributes to the mitochondrial protein degradation network through supporting coordination and assembly of protein complexes encoded across mitochondrial and nuclear genomes.
Project description:Alternative splicing plays a major role in expanding the potential informational content of eukaryotic genomes. It is an important post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that can increase protein diversity and affect mRNA stability. Cold stress, which adversely affects plants growth and development, regulates the transcription and splicing of plants splicing factors. This affects the pre-mRNA processing of many genes. To identify cold regulated alternative splicing we applied Affymetrix Arabidopsis tiling arrays to survey the transcriptome under cold treatment conditions.
Project description:Using criteria based on known examples, we identified approximately 1.7 million and 2.4 million sequences encoding putative miRNA precursor (stem-loop) structures in the mouse and human genomes, respectively, as well as large numbers of such structures in the genomes of fish, fruitfly and nematode worm. These predictions were then tested using high density custom microarrays containing modified oligonucleotides interrogated with purified small RNAs from different tissues. We found that 19% of 4,006 randomly chosen mouse predictions and 40% of 1,859 randomly chosen human predictions gave positive signals with small RNA isolated from whole 10-12 day embryos and a mixture of brain and testis, respectively, 84% of which hybridized to only one strand of the predicted stem-loop structure, whereas only 2% and 12% of equivalent random mouse and human predictions were positive. There was no difference in the validation rates between sequences exhibiting conservation and those that did not. High validation rates were also observed with predictions from fish, fly and worm genomes. Northern blot analysis of the array-positive mouse predictions confirmed that the vast majority of these sequences were detectable as small RNAs whose sizes ranged from 20-110 nucleotides. Taking into account false negative rates of the prediction and detection of known miRNAs, and assuming that this holds for other small RNAs, we estimate that there are 1 million small RNAs expressed in mouse and 3 million small RNAs in human. Keywords: genomic survey of small RNAs
Project description:Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is essential for the synthesis of the vast majority of ATP in eukaryotic cells. It is carried out by multi-protein assemblies that form the electron transport chain (ETC), which are coupled to the mitochondrial ATP synthase, which uses the proton gradient generated by the ETC to drive ATP synthesis. The assembly of the OXPHOS protein machinery requires the coordinated integration of proteins encoded in the nuclear and the mitochondrial genomes, imposing an additional layer of complexity. While the biogenesis of the individual OXPHOS complexes is well understood, it remains unknown how the assembly of the ETC and ATP synthase is coordinated to achieve the correct stoichiometry of the OXPHOS machinery. Here, we identify the mitochondrial regulatory hub for respiratory assembly (MiRA), which serves as a platform on which complex IV and complex V biogenesis are synchronised to ensure balanced assembly of the ETC and complex V. At the molecular level, this is achieved by a stop-and-go safeguarding mechanism: The novel mitochondrial protein Mra1 binds to and slows down complex IV assembly. Two Go signals are then required for assembly to proceed: Binding of the complex IV assembly factor Rcf2 and interaction with the mitoribosome, which translates the complex V subunit Atp9. Both Go signals induce the clipping and subsequent degradation of Mra1, relieving the molecular brake and allowing parallel maturation of complexes IV and V. The absence of the stop-and-go safety mechanism results in the formation of immature complexes, decreased ATP levels and reduced cell viability. The antagonistic activities at MiRA provide a regulated orchestration of complex IV and V assembly which is essential to avoid the predominance of either complex and an unbalanced ratio of OXPHOS complexes, thus ensuring the correct stoichiometry of protein machineries encoded by two different genomes.
Project description:Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is essential for the synthesis of the vast majority of ATP in eukaryotic cells. It is carried out by multi-protein assemblies that form the electron transport chain (ETC), which are coupled to the mitochondrial ATP synthase, which uses the proton gradient generated by the ETC to drive ATP synthesis. The assembly of the OXPHOS protein machinery requires the coordinated integration of proteins encoded in the nuclear and the mitochondrial genomes, imposing an additional layer of complexity. While the biogenesis of the individual OXPHOS complexes is well understood, it remains unknown how the assembly of the ETC and ATP synthase is coordinated to achieve the correct stoichiometry of the OXPHOS machinery. Here, we identify the mitochondrial regulatory hub for respiratory assembly (MiRA), which serves as a platform on which complex IV and complex V biogenesis are synchronised to ensure balanced assembly of the ETC and complex V. At the molecular level, this is achieved by a stop-and-go safeguarding mechanism: The novel mitochondrial protein Mra1 binds to and slows down complex IV assembly. Two Go signals are then required for assembly to proceed: Binding of the complex IV assembly factor Rcf2 and interaction with the mitoribosome, which translates the complex V subunit Atp9. Both Go signals induce the clipping and subsequent degradation of Mra1, relieving the molecular break and allowing parallel maturation of complexes IV and V. The absence of the stop-and-go safety mechanism results in the formation of immature complexes, decreased ATP levels and reduced cell viability. The antagonistic activities at MiRA provide a regulated orchestration of complex IV and V assembly which is essential to avoid the predominance of either complex and an unbalanced ratio of OXPHOS complexes, thus ensuring the correct stoichiometry of protein machineries encoded by two different genomes.