Restoration of peroxisome biogenesis in a peroxisome-deficient mammalian cell line by expression of either the 35 kDa or the 70 kDa peroxisomal membrane proteins

Overexpression of a human and a fungal ABC transporter similarly suppresses the differentiation defects of a fungal peroxisomal mutant but introduces pleiotropic cellular effects

Among the peroxisome membrane proteins, some are required for peroxisome biogenesis (e.g. PEX2) while others are not, e.g. ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters. Unexpectedly, overproduction of the peroxisomal ABC transporter PMP70 was found to be able to restore peroxisome biogenesis in mammalian pex2 mutant cell lines. In the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina, pex2 mutations not only impair peroxisome biogenesis but also cause a precise cell differentiation defect. Here, we show that both defects are partially suppressed by expression of the human cDNA encoding PMP70. In addition, PMP70 expression causes new developmental defects, different from those induced by pex2 mutations. We also show that overexpression of the P. anserina pABC1 gene, which encodes a peroxisomal ABC transporter, leads to similar effects. Taken together, our results demonstrate that: (i) the genetic relationship between PEX2 and PMP70, initially observed in mammals, has been conserved through evolution; (ii) the cell differentiation defect observed in the P. anserina pex2 mutants is indeed linked to impairment in peroxisome biogenesis; and (iii) unexpected detrimental cellular defects result from overproduction of peroxisomal ABC transporters.

Identification of six loci in which mutations partially restore peroxisome biogenesis and/or alleviate the metabolic defect of pex2 mutants in podospora

Peroxins (PEX) are proteins required for peroxisome biogenesis. Mutations in PEX genes cause lethal diseases in humans, metabolic defects in yeasts, and developmental disfunctions in plants and filamentous fungi. Here we describe the first large-scale screening for suppressors of a pex mutation. In Podospora anserina, pex2 mutants exhibit a metabolic defect [inability to grow on medium containing oleic acid (OA medium) as sole carbon source] and a developmental defect (inability to differentiate asci in homozygous crosses). Sixty-three mutations able to restore growth of pex2 mutants on OA medium have been analyzed. They fall in six loci (suo1 to suo6) and act as dominant, allele-nonspecific suppressors. Most suo mutations have pleiotropic effects in a pex2(+) background: formation of unripe ascospores (all loci except suo5 and suo6), impaired growth on OA medium (all loci except suo4 and suo6), or sexual defects (suo4). Using immunofluorescence and GFP staining, we show that peroxisome biogenesis is partially restored along with a low level of ascus differentiation in pex2 mutant strains carrying either the suo5 or the suo6 mutations. The data are discussed with respect to beta-oxidation of fatty acids, peroxisome biogenesis, and cell differentiation.

Restoration of PEX2 peroxisome assembly defects by overexpression of PMP70

The mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line Z78/C has defective peroxisome assembly due to a missense mutation in PEX2, the gene which encodes the 35 kDa peroxisomal integral membrane protein. In humans, PEX2 mutations are responsible for complementation group 10 of the human peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD), a genetically heterogeneous group of lethal, autosomal recessive diseases including the Zellweger syndrome and related phenotypes. To develop additional cellular models for Zellweger syndrome, we produced a series of new mutant CHO cell clones in the same complementation group as Z78/C (Z2, Z7, Z22, and Z105). As expected, expression of human PEX2 restores peroxisomal biogenesis in all of these clones. Surprisingly, expression of the human 70 kDa peroxisomal membrane protein (PMP70) also restores peroxisome biogenesis in these same CHO cell clones. We confirmed this effect of PMP70 expression on peroxisome biogenesis by determining the subcellular latency of catalase, the immunohistochemical localization of catalase and the beta-oxidation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA). By contrast, expression of a mutant allele of PMP70 identified in a patient with Zellweger syndrome did not restore peroxisome biogenesis in the PEX2-deficient CHO cell clones. Our results indicate that overexpression of PMP70 suppresses the phenotype of PEX2 gene mutations. These observations suggest a functional interaction between PEX2 and PMP70 in the peroxisome membrane.

A mobile PTS2 receptor for peroxisomal protein import in Pichia pastoris

Using a new screening procedure for the isolation of peroxisomal import mutants in Pichia pastoris, we have isolated a mutant (pex7) that is specifically disturbed in the peroxisomal import of proteins containing a peroxisomal targeting signal type II (PTS2). Like its Saccharomyces cerevisiae homologue, PpPex7p interacted with the PTS2 in the two-hybrid system, suggesting that Pex7p functions as a receptor. The pex7Delta mutant was not impaired for growth on methanol, indicating that there are no PTS2-containing enzymes involved in peroxisomal methanol metabolism. In contrast, pex7Delta cells failed to grow on oleate, but growth on oleate could be partially restored by expressing thiolase (a PTS2-containing enzyme) fused to the PTS1. Because the subcellular location and mechanism of action of this protein are controversial, we used various methods to demonstrate that Pex7p is both cytosolic and intraperoxisomal. This suggests that Pex7p functions as a mobile receptor, shuttling PTS2-containing proteins from the cytosol to the peroxisomes. In addition, we used PpPex7p as a model protein to understand the effect of the Pex7p mutations found in human patients with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata. The corresponding PpPex7p mutant proteins were stably expressed in P. pastoris, but they failed to complement the pex7Delta mutant and were impaired in binding to the PTS2 sequence.

Human PEX1 is mutated in complementation group 1 of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders

Human peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) are a group of genetically heterogeneous autosomal-recessive disease caused by mutations in PEX genes that encode peroxins, proteins required for peroxisome biogenesis. These lethal diseases include Zellweger syndrome (ZS), neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD) and infantile Refsum's disease (IRD), three phenotypes now thought to represent a continuum of clinical features that are most severe in ZS, milder in NALD and least severe in IRD2. At least eleven PBD complementation groups have been identified by somatic-cell hybridization analysis compared to the eighteen PEX complementation groups that have been found in yeast. We have cloned the human PEX1 gene encoding a 147-kD member of the AAA protein family (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities), which is the putative orthologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pex1p (ScPex1p). Human PEX1 has been identified by computer-based 'homology probing' using the ScPex1p sequence to screen databases of expressed sequence tags (dbEST) for human cDNA clones. Expression of PEX1 rescued the cells from the biogenesis defect in human fibroblasts of complementation group 1 (CG1), the largest PBD complementation group. We show that PEX1 is mutated in CG1 patients.

From expressed sequence tags to peroxisome biogenesis disorder genes

Isolation of human disease genes is a challenging process and can often only be achieved by labor-intensive positional cloning techniques. Fortunately, there are alternative strategies for isolation of peroxisome biogenesis disorder genes. The first, functional complementation, was established as a viable approach by Fujiki and colleagues, who identified PAF-1, the first known peroxisome biogenesis disorder gene. The second strategy, computer-based homology probing, relies on (1) the fact that peroxisome assembly has been conserved throughout the evolution of eukaryotes, (2) knowledge of the amino acid sequences of an increasing number of yeast peroxisome assembly (PAS) genes, and (3) the existence of sequence data from large numbers of human genes. The recent development of the expressed sequence tag (EST) database (dbEST) is fulfilling the last of these requirements. We have applied the homology probing strategy in the search for candidate genes for the peroxisome biogenesis disorders by routinely screening the database of ESTs for genes with significant sequence similarity to yeast PAS genes. The validity of this approach is demonstrated by its use in identifying PXR1 as the human orthologue of the Pichia pastoris PAS8 gene and PXAAA1 as a human homologue of the Pichia pastoris PAS5 gene. Furthermore, detailed analysis of PXR1 has revealed that mutations in this gene are responsible for complementation group 2 of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders. The demonstration that human homologues of yeast PAS genes exist and that mutations in these genes cause peroxisome biogenesis disorders demonstrates that yeast pas mutants are accurate and useful models for the analysis of these diseases.

The Pichia pastoris PER6 gene product is a peroxisomal integral membrane protein essential for peroxisome biogenesis and has sequence similarity to the Zellweger syndrome protein PAF-1

We report the cloning of PER6, a gene essential for peroxisome biogenesis in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. The PER6 sequence predicts that its product Per6p is a 52-kDa polypeptide with the cysteine-rich C3HC4 motif. Per6p has significant overall sequence similarity with the human peroxisome assembly factor PAF-1, a protein that is defective in certain patients suffering from the peroxisomal disorder Zellweger syndrome, and with car1, a protein required for peroxisome biogenesis and caryogamy in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina. In addition, the C3HC4 motif and two of the three membrane-spanning segments predicted for Per6p align with the C3HC4 motifs and the two membrane-spanning segments predicted for PAF-1 and car1. Like PAF-1, Per6p is a peroxisomal integral membrane protein. In methanol- or oleic acid-induced cells of per6 mutants, morphologically recognizable peroxisomes are absent. Instead, peroxisomal remnants are observed. In addition, peroxisomal matrix proteins are synthesized but located in the cytosol. The similarities between Per6p and PAF-1 in amino acid sequence and biochemical properties, and between mutants defective in their respective genes, suggest that Per6p is the putative yeast homolog of PAF-1.

Mutations in the PTS1 receptor gene, PXR1, define complementation group 2 of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders

The peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) are lethal recessive diseases caused by defects in peroxisome assembly. We have isolated PXR1, a human homologue of the yeast P. pastoris PAS8 (peroxisome assembly) gene. PXR1, like PAS8, encodes a receptor for proteins with the type-1 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1). Mutations in PXR1 define complementation group 2 of PBDs and expression of PXR1 rescues the PTS1 import defect of fibroblasts from these patients. Based on the observation that PXR1 exists both in the cytosol and in association with peroxisomes, we propose that PXR1 protein recognizes PTS1-containing proteins in the cytosol and directs them to the peroxisome.