Mitochondrial protein acetylation mediates nutrient sensing of mitochondrial protein synthesis and mitonuclear protein balance

Hat1-Dependent Lysine Acetylation Targets Diverse Cellular Functions

Lysine acetylation has emerged as one of the most important post-translational modifications, regulating different biological processes. However, its regulation by lysine acetyltransferases is still unclear in most cases. Hat1 is a lysine acetyltransferase originally identified based on its ability to acetylate histones. Using an unbiased proteomics approach, we have determined how loss of Hat1 affects the mammalian acetylome. Hat1^+/+ and Hat1^-/- mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines were grown in both glucose- and galactose-containing media, as Hat1 is required for growth on galactose, and Hat1^-/- cells exhibit defects in mitochondrial function. Following trypsin digestion of whole cell extracts, acetylated peptides were enriched by acetyllysine affinity purification, and acetylated peptides were identified and analyzed by label-free quantitation. Comparison of the acetylome from Hat1^+/+ cells grown on galactose and glucose demonstrated that there are large carbon source-dependent changes in the mammalian acetylome where the acetylation of enzymes involved in glycolysis were the most affected. Comparisons of the acetylomes from Hat1^+/+ and Hat1^-/- cells identified 65 proteins whose acetylation decreased by at least 2.5-fold in cells lacking Hat1. In Hat1^-/- cells, acetylation of the autoregulatory loop of CBP (CREB-binding protein) was the most highly affected, decreasing by up to 20-fold. In addition to the proteins involved in chromatin structure, Hat1-dependent acetylation was also found in a number of transcriptional regulators, including p53 and mitochondrial proteins. Hat1 mitochondrial localization suggests that it may be directly involved in the acetylation of mitochondrial proteins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017362.

Toxoplasma gondii GRA8 induces ATP5A1-SIRT3-mediated mitochondrial metabolic resuscitation: a potential therapy for sepsis

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii has unique dense granule antigens (GRAs) that are crucial for host infection. Emerging evidence suggests that GRA8 of T. gondii is a promising serodiagnostic marker in toxoplasmosis. However, little is known about the intracellular regulatory mechanisms involved in GRA8-induced host responses. We found that GRA8 interacts with host proteins involved in mitochondria activation and might be useful as a therapeutic strategy for sepsis. Here, we show that protein kinase-Cα (PKCα)-mediated phosphorylation of T. gondii GRA8 (Thr220) is required for mitochondrial trafficking and regulates the interaction of C terminal of GRA8 with nucleotide binding domain of ATP5A1. Furthermore, GRA8 interacts with SIRT3 in mitochondria, facilitating ATP5A1 deacetylation (K506 and K531), adenosine triphosphate production and subsequent anti-septic activity in vivo. Taken together, these results demonstrate a new anti-sepsis therapeutic strategy using T. gondii GRA8-induced mitochondrial metabolic resuscitation. This strategy represents an urgently needed paradigm shift for therapeutic intervention.

Insulin modulates energy and substrate sensing and protein catabolism induced by chronic peritonitis in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs

BACKGROUND

Acute infection promotes skeletal muscle wasting and insulin resistance, but the effect of insulin on energy and substrate sensing in skeletal muscle of chronically infected neonates has not been studied.

METHODS

Eighteen 2-d-old pigs underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham surgery (CON) to induce a chronic infection for 5 d. On d 5, pancreatic-substrate clamps were performed to attain fasting or fed insulin levels but to maintain glucose and amino acids in the fasting range. Total fractional protein synthesis rates (K_s), translational control mechanisms, and energy sensing and degradation signal activation were measured in longissimus dorsi muscle.

RESULTS

In fasting conditions, CLP reduced K_s and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and increased AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) activation and muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF1). Insulin treatment increased K_s and mitochondrial protein synthesis, enhanced translation activation, and reduced SIRT1 in CON. In contrast, in CLP, insulin treatment increased K_s, protein kinase B (PKB) and Forkhead box O1 phosphorylation, antagonized AMPK activation, and decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), MuRF1, and SIRT1.

CONCLUSION

Energy and substrate sensing in skeletal muscle by the PKB-AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α axis is impacted by chronic infection in neonatal pigs and can be modulated by insulin.

MTO1 mediates tissue specificity of OXPHOS defects via tRNA modification and translation optimization, which can be bypassed by dietary intervention

Mitochondrial diseases often exhibit tissue-specific pathologies, but this phenomenon is poorly understood. Here we present regulation of mitochondrial translation by the Mitochondrial Translation Optimization Factor 1, MTO1, as a novel player in this scenario. We demonstrate that MTO1 mediates tRNA modification and controls mitochondrial translation rate in a highly tissue-specific manner associated with tissue-specific OXPHOS defects. Activation of mitochondrial proteases, aberrant translation products, as well as defects in OXPHOS complex assembly observed in MTO1 deficient mice further imply that MTO1 impacts translation fidelity. In our mouse model, MTO1-related OXPHOS deficiency can be bypassed by feeding a ketogenic diet. This therapeutic intervention is independent of the MTO1-mediated tRNA modification and involves balancing of mitochondrial and cellular secondary stress responses. Our results thereby establish mammalian MTO1 as a novel factor in the tissue-specific regulation of OXPHOS and fine tuning of mitochondrial translation accuracy.