Isolation and reconstitution of an N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive phosphate transport protein from rat liver mitochondria

Characterization of a dCTP transport activity reconstituted from human mitochondria

A protein fraction of mitochondria from human acute lymphocytic leukemia cells, which could be reconstituted into proteoliposomes to have dCTP transport activity, has been partially purified by hydroxyapatite and blue Sepharose chromatography. The dCTP transport activity in proteoliposomes was time-dependent and could be activated by Ca2+ and to a lesser extent by Mg2+. None of the other divalent cations tested could activate the transport activity. The Km value of dCTP in the presence of Ca2+ was shown to be 3 microM. dCDP but not dCMP or dCyd could inhibit the transport activity. Other deoxynucleoside triphosphates could also inhibit the uptake of dCTP with the potency dGTP = dATP > TTP. Although ATP could competitively inhibit dCTP uptake with a Ki value of 8 microM, the reconstituted dCTP uptake activity was not sensitive to the ATP/ADP carrier inhibitor atractyloside or the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide. This suggests that the dCTP transport system studied is not the same as the ATP/ADP carrier. In conclusion, these studies describe the first functionally reconstituted mitochondrial carrier that displays an efficient transport activity for dCTP.

The reversible antiport-uniport conversion of the phosphate carrier from yeast mitochondria depends on the presence of a single cysteine

Wild type and mutant phosphate carriers (PIC) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria were expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies, solubilized, purified, and optimally reconstituted into liposomal membranes. This PIC can function as coupled antiport (Pi-/Pi- antiport and Pi- net transport, i.e. Pi-/OH- antiport) and uncoupled uniport (mercuric chloride-induced Pi- efflux). The basic kinetic properties of these three transport modes were analyzed. The kinetic properties closely resemble those of the reconstituted PIC from beef heart mitochondria. A competitive inhibitor of phosphate transport by the PIC, phosphonoformic acid, was used to establish functional overlap between the the physiological transport modes and the induced efflux mode. Replacement mutants were used to relate the reversible switch from antiport to uniport to a specific residue of the carrier. There are only three cysteines in the yeast PIC. They are at positions 28, 134, and 300 and were replaced by serine, both individually and in combinations. Cysteine 300 near the C-terminal loop and cysteine 134 located within the third transmembrane segment are accessible to bulky hydrophilic reagents from the cytosolic side, whereas cysteine 28 within the first transmembrane segment is not. None of the three cysteines is relevant to the two antiport modes. Cysteine 134 was identified to be the major target of bulky SH reagents, that lead to complete inactivation of the physiological transport modes. The reversible conversion between coupled antiport and uncoupled uniport of the PIC depends on the presence of one single cysteine (cysteine 28) in the PIC monomer, i.e. two cysteines in the functionally active dimer. The consequences of this result with respect to a functional model of the carrier protein are discussed.

Phosphate transport in mitochondria: past accomplishments, present problems, and future challenges

The requirement of inorganic phosphate (Pi) for oxidative phosphorylation in eukaryotic cells is fulfilled through specific Pi transport systems. The mitochondrial proton/phosphate symporter (Pic) is a membrane-embedded protein which translocates Pi from the cytosol into the mitochondrial matrix. Pic is responsible for the very rapid transport of most of the Pi used in ATP synthesis. During the past five years there have been advances on several fronts. Genomic and cDNA clones for yeast, bovine, rat, and human Pic have been isolated and sequenced. Functional expression of yeast Pic in yeast strains deficient in Pi transport and expression in Escherichia coli of a chimera protein involving Pic and ATP synthase alpha subunit have been accomplished. Pic, in contrast to other members of the family of transporters involved in energy metabolism, was demonstrated to have a presequence, which optimizes the import of the precursor protein into mitochondria. Six transmembrane segments appear to be a structural feature shared between Pic and other mitochondrial anion carriers, and recent-site directed mutagenesis studies implicate structure-functional relationships to bacteriorhodopsin. These recent advances on Pic will be assessed in light of a more global interpretation of transport mechanism across the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Functional properties of the reconstituted phosphate carrier from bovine heart mitochondria: evidence for asymmetric orientation and characterization of three different transport modes

The phosphate carrier from bovine heart mitochondria was reconstituted into liposomes by the removal of detergent using hydrophobic ion-exchange columns. Reversible blocking of the carrier function during chromatographic steps was possible by the application of the inhibitor p-(chloromercuri)benzenesulfonate at low temperature. Thus, both forward and backward exchange experiments for kinetic characterization of Pi/Pi-antiport as well as the Pi/H(+)-symport could be performed. The maximum rate of Pi/Pi-antiport was 90 mumol min-1 (mg protein)-1. Only one single half-saturation constant (Km) for phosphate was observed at each side of the membrane under antiport conditions, 1.8 mM at the external and 9.4 mM at the internal side. By comparing the Km values at both sides of the membrane with the values found in intact mitochondria, a right-side-out orientation of the reconstituted phosphate carrier was concluded. Furthermore, the influence of various sulfhydryl reagents on the carrier was investigated. After modification with HgCl2, the phosphate carrier reveals a third (nonphysiological) unidirectional transport mode. This was characterized by a significantly reduced substrate specificity. In view of similar observations with several other mitochondrial carriers, these results again indicate that the phosphate carrier is a member of the postulated functional family of mitochondrial carrier proteins.

Oxidation of specific SH protein of mitochondria by photodynamic action of hematoporphyrin. Relevance to uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation

Photoexcited hematoporphyrin (Hp) induces the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria. The uncoupling was inhibited by pre-incubation of mitochondria with a fluorescent SH reagent, eosin-5-maleimide, which has been shown to react specifically with an essential SH group of the Pi/H+ symporter [Houstek and Pedersen, J Biol Chem 260: 6288-6295, 1985]. Eosin-5-maleimide labeled 33, 34.5 and 36 kDa proteins in untreated rat liver mitochondria. When eosin-5-maleimide was added after the treatment with Hp plus light, the proteins were not labeled. Singlet oxygen detection by the ESR spin trapping method during photoradiation of Hp was inhibited by amino acids. Cysteine inhibited it more efficiently than histidine, methionine, tryptophan, tyrosine or alanine under the conditions used. HPLC demonstrated that Hp plus light oxidizes cysteine to cystine together with a smaller amount of cysteinesulfinic acid. These results suggest that Hp plus light oxidizes the SH group of mitochondrial protein, probably the Pi/H+ symporter, with singlet oxygen as a mediator. The possibility of the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation through such a modification of the Pi/H+ symporter is discussed.

The extraction and reconstitution of the alpha-cyanocinnamate-sensitive pyruvate transporter from castor bean mitochondria

The pyruvate carrier from castor bean mitochondria has been solubilized with Triton X-114 and partially purified using hydroxyapatite column chromatography. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the hydroxyapatite-eluate showed that there were 6 major protein bands of Mr, 74kDa, 66kDa, 34kDa, 32kDa, 30kDa 12kDa. When the eluate was reconstituted into liposomes it was shown to catalyze a pyruvate exchange reaction which was sensitive to N-ethyl maleimide and a series of analogues of alpha-cyanocinnamate. The characteristics of this pyruvate exchange activity are similar to that found in intact mitochondria, and it is concluded that one or more proteins in the hydroxyapatite-eluate correspond to the pyruvate carrier.

Molecular cloning of the phosphate (inorganic) transport (pit) gene of Escherichia coli K12. Identification of the pit+ gene product and physical mapping of the pit-gor region of the chromosome

The pit+ gene, encoding the phosphate (inorganic) transport system of Escherichia coli, was isolated from a library of E. coli genes inserted in the cosmid vector pHC79. A 25.5-kb chromosomal DNA fragment was shown also to carry the gor locus encoding glutathione oxidoreductase. Physical mapping placed the two genes about 10 kb apart, confirming bacteriophage P1 mapping of the 77-min region. Subcloning and deletion analysis indicated that the entire pit+ gene was located within a 2.2-kb Sal1-Ava1 fragment. The pit+ gene product was identified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a 39-kdal inner membrane protein by two methods: 35S-methionine-labelling of minicells carrying pit+ plasmids or plasmids from which all or part of the pit+ gene was deleted. Overproduction of the Pit protein using a thermoinducible "runaway" replication plasmid. Complementation of the pit-1 mutant allele using a unit-copy-number pit+ plasmid indicated that the pit-1 mutation is recessive. Strains carrying a multicopy pit+ plasmid show a 10-fold increase in the initial rate of phosphate uptake; however there is no change in the steady-state level of 32Pi accumulation.

Purification and characterization of the phosphate/hydroxyl ion antiport protein from rat liver mitochondria

The phosphate transport protein was purified from rat liver mitochondria by extraction in an 8% (v/v) Triton X-100 buffer followed by adsorption chromatography on hydroxyapatite and Celite. SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (10%, w/v) demonstrated that the purified polypeptide was apparently homogeneous when stained with Coomassie Blue and had a subunit Mr of 34,000. However, lectin overlay analysis of this gel with 125I-labelled concanavalin A demonstrated the presence of several low- and high-Mr glycoprotein contaminants. To overcome this problem, mitochondria were pre-extracted with a 0.5% (v/v) Triton X-100 buffer as an additional step in the purification of phosphate transport protein. SDS/polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis (14-20%, w/v) of the hydroxyapatite and Celite eluates revealed one major band of Mr 34,000 when stained with Coomassie Blue. The known thiol group sensitivity of the phosphate transporter was employed to characterize the isolated polypeptide further. Labelling studies with N-[2-3H]ethylmaleimide showed that only the 34,000-Mr band was labelled in both the hydroxyapatite and Celite fractions, when purified from rat liver mitochondria. Further confirmation of its identity has been provided with an antiserum directed against the 34,000-Mr protein. Specific partial inhibition of phosphate uptake, as measured by iso-osmotic swelling in the presence of (NH4)2HPO4, was achieved when mitoplasts (mitochondria minus outer membrane) were incubated with this antiserum. Finally, amino acid analysis of the rat liver mitochondrial phosphate/hydroxyl ion antiport protein indicates that it is similar in composition to the equivalent protein isolated from ox heart.

An essential requirement of cardiolipin for mitochondrial carnitine acylcarnitine translocase activity. Lipid requirement of carnitine acylcarnitine translocase

The phospholipid requirement for the optimal solubilization of carnitine acylcarnitine translocase from the inner membrane vesicles of rat liver mitochondria and for its reconstitution in liposomes was investigated. At the octylglucoside-solubilization step, the presence of cardiolipin proved superior to the other lipids tested. For reconstitution, a mixture having phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin was found to be particularly effective. The requirement of cardiolipin at this step was met less effectively by other anionic phospholipids. Moreover, in intact mitochondria of rat liver and heart, the translocase activity was markedly inhibited by micromolar concentrations of doxorubicin, a specific cardiolipin-binding agent.

Specific elution from hydroxylapatite of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier by cardiolipin

The role of cardiolipin in the purification of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier by hydroxylapatite has been investigated. Without added cardiolipin, the reconstituted phosphate-transport activity in the hydroxylapatite eluate is small and only confined to the first fraction. With cardiolipin added to the extract, the eluted activity is much higher and present until fraction 6. The activity retained by hydroxylapatite in the absence of cardiolipin is eluted after addition of this phospholipid to the column. The requirement of added cardiolipin diminishes on increasing the concentration of solubilized mitochondria. The hydroxylapatite eluate contains five protein bands in the Mr-region of 30 000-35 000, which are differently distributed in the various fractions. Among these, only the presence and the relative amount of band 3 of Mr 33 000 corresponds to the phosphate transport activity. Cardiolipin is the only phospholipid tested which causes elution of band 3 from hydroxylapatite; on the other hand, it prevents the elution of band 2 and retards that of band 5 (the ADP/ATP carrier). Band 1 starts to appear in the second fraction even without cardiolipin. On increasing the concentration of cardiolipin, in the first fraction of the hydroxylapatite eluate band 3 increases and the contamination of band 4 decreases. Under optimal conditions a preparation of band 3 about 90% pure and with high reconstituted phosphate transport activity is obtained. It is concluded that the elution of the phosphate carrier from hydroxylapatite requires cardiolipin and that the phosphate carrier is identical with (or with part of) band 3 of the hydroxylapatite eluate.

Proton ATPase of rat liver mitochondria: a rapid procedure for purification of a stable, reconstitutively active F1 preparation using a modified chloroform method

A method is described for the purification of rat liver F1-ATPase by a modification of the chloroform extraction procedure originally described by Beechey et al. (Biochem. J. (1975) 148, 533). Purified liver membrane vesicles are extracted with chloroform in the presence of ATP and EDTA. The procedure yields pure F1 in only 2-3 h without the necessity of ion-exchange chromatography. The enzyme exhibits the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon bands characteristic of F1-ATPase. It has a high ATPase specific activity, and is reconstitutively active, catalyzing high rates of ATP synthesis. Significantly, it can be readily crystallized. If desired, the enzyme can be passed over a gel filtration column to place it in a stabilizing phosphate-EDTA buffer, lyophilized and stored indefinitely at -20 degrees C.

Purification of the active mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier by hydroxylapatite chromatography

The mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier has been extracted from rat liver mitochondria or SMP with Triton X-100, in the presence of 1,2,3-BTA and DPG, and partially purified by chromatography on HTP. The purified fraction, which also contains the ADP/ATP carrier and the phosphate carrier, after incorporation into liposomes catalyzes a 1,2,3-BTA-sensitive [14C]citrate/citrate exchange. The tissue and substrate specificity, the inhibitor sensitivity and the kinetic properties of citrate transport in liposomes are similar to those described for the citrate transport in mitochondria. The maximal rate of citrate exchange in the reconstituted system is 338 mumol X min-1 X g protein-1, at 30 degrees C and pH 7.0.