Characterization of the nuclear gene encoding mitochondrial aconitase in the marine red alga Gracilaria verrucosa

Nitric oxide up-regulates ferritin mRNA level in snail neurons

We cloned and sequenced the ferric ion-binding protein, ferritin, from the nervous system of the pulmonate snail, Helix pomatia. Helix H-ferritin cDNA contains a 519-bp open reading frame (ORF) and predicts an iron-responsive element (IRE) at the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of the ferritin mRNA. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed 86% similarity with Lymnaea stagnalis ferritin and about 70% similarity with vertebrate H-ferritin. While secreted ferritin isoforms contain a signalling sequence at their N-terminal end, Helix ferritin does not contain this sorting signal indicating that it is restricted to the cytoplasm. The amino acid ligands at positions Glu25, Tyr30, Glu59, Glu60, His63, Glu105 and Gln139 indicate an active ferroxidase site in Helix ferritin. In situ hybridization visualized ferritin mRNA in neuronal cell bodies but not in the neuropil. In contrast, ferritin-immunoreactive protein was localized in cell bodies and neurites. We further demonstrate that the NO donors S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), or hydroxylamine (HA), increase the intracellular ferritin mRNA level by about 55%. In conclusion, our findings show that Helix neurons express an intracellular H-ferritin isoform and suggest that iron and NO metabolism are coupled.

A developmentally regulated aconitase related to iron-regulatory protein-1 is localized in the cytoplasm and in the mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei

Mitochondrial energy metabolism and Krebs cycle activities are developmentally regulated in the life cycle of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Here we report cloning of a T. brucei aconitase gene that is closely related to mammalian iron-regulatory protein 1 (IRP-1) and plant aconitases. Kinetic analysis of purified recombinant TbACO expressed in Escherichia coli resulted in a K(m) (isocitrate) of 3 +/- 0.4 mM, similar to aconitases of other organisms. This was unexpected since an arginine conserved in the aconitase protein family and crucial for substrate positioning in the catalytic center and for activity of pig mitochondrial aconitase (Zheng, L., Kennedy, M. C., Beinert, H., and Zalkin, H. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 7895-7903) is substituted by leucine in the TbACO sequence. Expression of the 98-kDa TbACO was shown to be lowest in the slender bloodstream stage of the parasite, 8-fold elevated in the stumpy stage, and increased a further 4-fold in the procyclic stage. The differential expression of TbACO protein contrasted with only minor changes in TbACO mRNA, indicating translational or post-translational mechanisms of regulation. Whereas animal cells express two distinct compartmentalized aconitases, mitochondrial aconitase and cytoplasmic aconitase/IRP-1, TbACO accounts for total aconitase activity in trypanosomes. By cell fractionation and immunofluorescence microscopy, we show that native as well as a transfected epitope-tagged TbACO localizes in both the mitochondrion (30%) and in the cytoplasm (70%). Together with phylogenetic reconstructions of the aconitase family, this suggests that animal IRPs have evolved from a multicompartmentalized ancestral aconitase. The possible functions of a cytoplasmic aconitase in trypanosomes are discussed.

Cytosolic enzymes with a mitochondrial ancestry from the anaerobic chytrid Piromyces sp. E2

The anaerobic chytrid Piromyces sp. E2 lacks mitochondria, but contains hydrogen-producing organelles, the hydrogenosomes. We are interested in how the adaptation to anaerobiosis influenced enzyme compartmentalization in this organism. Random sequencing of a cDNA library from Piromyces sp. E2 resulted in the isolation of cDNAs encoding malate dehydrogenase, aconitase and acetohydroxyacid reductoisomerase. Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that they are closely related to their mitochondrial homologues from aerobic eukaryotes. However, the deduced sequences lack N-terminal extensions, which function as mitochondrial leader sequences in the corresponding mitochondrial enzymes from aerobic eukaryotes. Subcellular fractionation and enzyme assays confirmed that the corresponding enzymes are located in the cytosol. As anaerobic chytrids evolved from aerobic, mitochondria-bearing ancestors, we suggest that, in the course of the adaptation from an aerobic to an anaerobic lifestyle, mitochondrial enzymes were retargeted to the cytosol with the concomitant loss of their N-terminal leader sequences.