Dual location of the mitochondrial preprotein transporters B14.7 and Tim23-2 in complex I and the TIM17:23 complex in Arabidopsis links mitochondrial activity and biogenesis.

Interactions between the respiratory chain and protein import complexes have been previously reported in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but the biological significance of such interactions remains unknown. Characterization of two mitochondrial preprotein and amino acid transport proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, NADH dehydrogenase B14.7 like (B14.7 [encoded by At2g42210]) and Translocase of the inner membrane subunit 23-2 (Tim23-2 [encoded by At1g72750]), revealed both proteins are present in respiratory chain complex I and the Translocase of the Inner Membrane 17:23. Whereas depletion of B14.7 by T-DNA insertion is lethal, Tim23-2 can be depleted without lethality. Subtle overexpression of Tim23-2 results in a severe delayed growth phenotype and revealed an unexpected, inverse correlation between the abundance of Tim23-2 and the abundance of respiratory complex I. This newly discovered relationship between protein import and respiratory function was confirmed through the investigation of independent complex I knockout mutants, which were found to have correspondingly increased levels of Tim23-2. This increase in Tim23-2 was also associated with delayed growth phenotypes, increased abundance of other import components, and an increased capacity for mitochondrial protein import. Analysis of the Tim23-2-overexpressing plants through global quantitation of transcript abundance and in-organelle protein synthesis assays revealed widespread alterations in transcript abundance of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins and altered rates of mitochondrial protein translation, indicating a pivotal relationship between the machinery of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial function.

Characterization of the preprotein and amino acid transporter gene family in Arabidopsis.

Seventeen loci encode proteins of the preprotein and amino acid transporter family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Some of these genes have arisen from recent duplications and are not in annotated duplicated regions of the Arabidopsis genome. In comparison to a number of other eukaryotic organisms, this family of proteins has greatly expanded in plants, with 24 loci in rice (Oryza sativa). Most of the Arabidopsis and rice genes are orthologous, indicating expansion of this family before monocot and dicot divergence. In vitro protein uptake assays, in vivo green fluorescent protein tagging, and immunological analyses of selected proteins determined either mitochondrial or plastidic localization for 10 and six proteins, respectively. The protein encoded by At5g24650 is targeted to both mitochondria and chloroplasts and, to our knowledge, is the first membrane protein reported to be targeted to mitochondria and chloroplasts. Three genes encoded translocase of the inner mitochondrial membrane (TIM)17-like proteins, three TIM23-like proteins, and three outer envelope protein16-like proteins in Arabidopsis. The identity of Arabidopsis TIM22-like proteins is most likely a protein encoded by At3g10110/At1g18320, based on phylogenetic analysis, subcellular localization, and complementation of a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutant and coexpression analysis. The lack of a preprotein and amino acid transporter domain in some proteins, localization in mitochondria, plastids, or both, variation in gene structure, and the differences in expression profiles indicate that the function of this family has diverged in plants beyond roles in protein translocation.

Characterization of mitochondrial alternative NAD(P)H dehydrogenases in Arabidopsis: intraorganelle location and expression.

The intramitochondrial location of putative type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases (NDs) in Arabidopsis was investigated by measuring the ability of isolated mitochondria to take up precursor proteins generated from cDNAs using an in vitro translation system. The mature proteins of NDA1, NDA2 and NDC1 were judged to be located on the inside of the inner membrane because they were protected from protease added after the mitochondrial outer membrane had been ruptured. In contrast, NDB1, NDB2 and NDB4 were not protected from protease digestion in mitochondria with ruptured outer membranes and were deemed to be located on the outside of the inner membrane. Expression of all ND genes was measured using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) to determine transcript abundance, and compared with expression of alternative oxidase, uncoupler proteins and selected components of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes. NDA1 and NDB2 were the most prominently expressed members in a variety of tissues, and were up-regulated in the early daytime in a diurnal manner. Analysis of array data suggested that NDA1 clustered closest to the gene encoding the P-subunit of glycine decarboxylase. Taken together with the diurnal regulation of NDA1 observed here and in other studies, this suggests that NDA1 plays a role in integrating metabolic activities of chloroplasts and mitochondria. NDA2, NDB2 and Aox1a were up-regulated in a coordinated manner under various treatments, potentially forming a complete respiratory chain capable of oxidizing matrix and cytosolic NAD(P)H. NDB1 and NDC1 were down-regulated under the same conditions and may be regarded as housekeeping genes.

Stress-induced co-expression of alternative respiratory chain components in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plant mitochondria contain non-phosphorylating bypasses of the respiratory chain, catalysed by the alternative oxidase (AOX) and alternative NADH dehydrogenases (NDH), as well as uncoupling (UCP) protein. Each of these components either circumvents or short-circuits proton translocation pathways, and each is encoded by a small gene family in Arabidopsis. Whole genome microarray experiments were performed with suspension cell cultures to examine the effects of various 3 h treatments designed to induce abiotic stress. The expression of over 60 genes encoding components of the classical, phosphorylating respiratory chain and tricarboxylic acid cycle remained largely constant when cells were subjected to a broad range of abiotic stresses, but expression of the alternative components responded differentially to the various treatments. In detailed time-course quantitative PCR analysis, specific members of both AOX and NDH gene families displayed coordinated responses to treatments. In particular, the co-expression of AOX1a and NDB2 observed under a number of treatments suggested co-regulation that may be directed by common sequence elements arranged hierarchically in the upstream promoter regions of these genes. A series of treatment sets were identified, representing the response of specific AOX and NDH genes to mitochondrial inhibition, plastid inhibition and abiotic stresses. These treatment sets emphasise the multiplicity of pathways affecting alternative electron transport components in plants.

Adaptations required for mitochondrial import following mitochondrial to nucleus gene transfer of ribosomal protein S10.

The minimal requirements to support protein import into mitochondria were investigated in the context of the phenomenon of ongoing gene transfer from the mitochondrion to the nucleus in plants. Ribosomal protein 10 of the small subunit is encoded in the mitochondrion in soybean and many other angiosperms, whereas in several other species it is nuclear encoded and thus must be imported into the mitochondrial matrix to function. When encoded by the nuclear genome, it has adopted different strategies for mitochondrial targeting and import. In lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and carrot (Daucus carota), Rps10 independently gained different N-terminal extensions from other genes, following transfer to the nucleus. (The designation of Rps10 follows the following convention. The gene is indicated in italics. If encoded in the mitochondrion, it is rps10; if encoded in the nucleus, it is Rps10.) Here, we show that the N-terminal extensions of Rps10 in lettuce and carrot are both essential for mitochondrial import. In maize (Zea mays), Rps10 has not acquired an extension upon transfer but can be readily imported into mitochondria. Deletion analysis located the mitochondrial targeting region to the first 20 amino acids. Using site directed mutagenesis, we changed residues in the first 20 amino acids of the mitochondrial encoded soybean (Glycine max) rps10 to the corresponding amino acids in the nuclear encoded maize Rps10 until import was achieved. Changes were required that altered charge, hydrophobicity, predicted ability to form an amphipathic alpha-helix, and generation of a binding motif for the outer mitochondrial membrane receptor, translocase of the outer membrane 20. In addition to defining the changes required to achieve mitochondrial localization, the results demonstrate that even proteins that do not present barriers to import can require substantial changes to acquire a mitochondrial targeting signal.

The C-terminal region of TIM17 links the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes in Arabidopsis and is essential for protein import.

The translocase of the inner membrane 17 (AtTIM17-2) protein from Arabidopsis has been shown to link the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. This was demonstrated by several approaches: (i) In vitro organelle import assays indicated the imported AtTIM17-2 protein remained protease accessible in the outer membrane when inserted into the inner membrane. (ii) N-terminal and C-terminal tagging indicated that it was the C-terminal region that was located in the outer membrane. (iii) Antibodies raised to the C-terminal 100 amino acids recognize a 31-kDa protein from purified mitochondria, but cross-reactivity was abolished when mitochondria were protease-treated to remove outer membrane-exposed proteins. Antibodies to AtTIM17-2 inhibited import of proteins via the general import pathway into outer membrane-ruptured mitochondria, but did not inhibit protein import via the carrier import pathway. Together these results indicate that the C-terminal region of AtTIM17-2 is exposed on the outer surface of the outer membrane, and the C-terminal region is essential for protein import into mitochondria.

The N-terminal extension of plant mitochondrial carrier proteins is removed by two-step processing: the first cleavage is by the mitochondrial processing peptidase.

In contrast to yeast, many plants encode mitochondrial inner membrane carrier proteins with an N-terminal extension that is removed upon organelle import. Investigations using yeast and plant mitochondria models and purified general mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP) indicate that the extension was removed in a two-step process. The first processing was carried out by MPP, while the second processing most probably occurs in the inter-membrane space by an as yet undefined peptidase, putatively a serine protease. Purified MPP from potato processed two carrier proteins to an intermediate size, this processing was sensitive to an MPP inhibitor (1,10-phenanthroline) and further, processing could be inhibited by changing arginine residues to glycine residues at a -3 arginine consensus processing site for MPP. Interestingly, yeast mitochondria only processed plant mitochondrial carrier proteins to the same intermediate size as purified plant MPP, and this intermediary processing did not occur in a temperature sensitive yeast mutant for MPP at the restrictive temperature. Incubation of carrier proteins with intact or lysed plant mitochondria under conditions designed to slow down the rate of import revealed that the MPP processed intermediate could be observed and chased to the mature form. The second processing step is inhibited by Pefabloc, suggesting it is carried out by a serine protease. A model for the processing of the N-terminal extension of plant mitochondrial carrier proteins is presented.