Cytochrome b560 (QPs1) of mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase. Immunochemistry, cloning, and nucleotide sequencing

Model animals for the study of oxidative stress from complex II

Mitochondria play a role of energy production and produce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially superoxide anion (O2(-)) as a byproduct of energy metabolism at the same time. O2(-) is converted from oxygen and is overproduced by excessive electron leakage from the mitochondrial respiratory chain. It is well known that mitochondrial complexes I and III in the electron transport system are the major endogenous ROS sources. We have previously demonstrated that mutations in complex II can result in excessive ROS (specifically in SDHC: G71E in Caenorhabditis elegans, I71E in Drosophila and V69E in mouse). Moreover, this results in premature death in C. elegans and Drosophila as well as tumorigenesis in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. In humans, it has been reported that mutations in SDHB, SDHC or SDHD, which are the subunits of mitochondrial complex II, often result in inherited head and neck paragangliomas (PGLs). Recently, we established Tet-mev-1 conditional transgenic mice using our uniquely developed Tet-On/Off system, which can induce the mutated SDHC gene to be equally and competitively expressed compared to the endogenous wild-type SDHC gene. These mice experienced mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction that resulted in oxidative stress. The mitochondrial oxidative stress caused excessive apoptosis in several tissues leading to low-birth-weight infants and growth retardation during neonatal developmental phase in Tet-mev-1 mice. Tet-mev-1 mice also displayed precocious age-dependent corneal physiological changes, delayed corneal epithelialization, decreased corneal endothelial cells, thickened Descemet's membrane and thinning of parenchyma with corneal pathological dysfunctions such as keratitis, Fuchs' corneal dystrophy (FCD) and probably keratoconus after the normal development and growth phase. Here, we review the relationships between mitochondrial oxidative stress and phenomena in mev-1 animal models with mitochondrial complex II SDHC mutations. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Respiratory complex II: Role in cellular physiology and disease.

A Mutation in the SDHC Gene of Complex II Increases Oxidative Stress, Resulting in Apoptosis and Tumorigenesis

Intracellular oxidative stress from mitochondria is thought to be important in carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis, but direct experimental proof is limited. In this study, a transgenic mouse cell line (SDHC E69) with a mutated SDHC gene (a subunit of complex II in the electron transport chain) was constructed to test this question. The SDHC E69 cells overproduced superoxide anion (O2−) from mitochondria, had elevated cytoplasmic carbonyl proteins and 8-OH-deoxyguanine in their DNA as well as significantly higher mutation frequencies than wild type. There were many apoptotic cells in this cell line, as predicted by the observed increase in caspase 3 activity, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and structural changes in their mitochondria. In addition, some cells that escaped from apoptosis underwent transformation, as evidenced by the fact that SDHC E69 cells caused benign tumors when injected under the epithelium of nude mice. These results underscore the notion that mitochondrially generated oxidative stress can contribute to nuclear DNA damage, mutagenesis, and ultimately, tumorigenesis.

Flutolanil and carboxin resistance in Coprinus cinereus conferred by a mutation in the cytochrome b560 subunit of succinate dehydrogenase complex (Complex II)

A gene that confers resistance to the systemic fungicide flutolanil was isolated from a mutant strain of the basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus. The flutolanil resistance gene was mapped to a chromosome of approximately 3.2 Mb, and a chromosome-specific cosmid library was constructed. Two cosmid clones that were able to transform a wild-type, flutolanil-sensitive, strain of C. cinereus to resistance were isolated from the library. Analysis of a subclone containing the resistance gene revealed the presence of the sdhC gene, which encodes the cytochrome b560 subunit of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex (Complex II) in the mitochondrial membrane. Comparison between the sdhC gene of a wild-type strain and that of a mutant strain revealed a single point mutation, which results in the replacement of Asn by Lys at position 80. Measurements of succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity in the transformants with mutant sdhC gene(s) suggest that flutolanil resistance of the fungus is caused by a decrease in the affinity of the SDH complex for flutolanil. This sdhC mutation also conferred cross-resistance against another systemic fungicide, carboxin, an anilide that is structurally related to flutolanil. In other organisms carboxin resistance mutations have been found in the genes sdhB and sdhD, but this is the first demonstration that a mutation in sdhC can also confer resistance. The mutant gene cloned in this work can be utilized as a dominant selectable marker in gene manipulation experiments in C. cinereus.

Confirmation of the involvement of protein domain movement during the catalytic cycle of the cytochrome bc1 complex by the formation of an intersubunit disulfide bond between cytochrome b and the iron-sulfur protein

To study the essentiality of head domain movement of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (ISP) during bc(1) catalysis, Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants expressing His-tagged cytochrome bc(1) complexes with three pairs of cysteines engineered (one cysteine each) on the interface between cytochrome b and ISP, A185C(cytb)/K70C(ISP), I326C(cytb)/G165C(ISP), and T386C(cytb)/K164C(ISP), were generated and characterized. Formation of an intersubunit disulfide bond between cytochrome b and ISP is detected in membrane (intracytoplasmic membrane and air-aged chromatophore), and purified bc(1) complex was prepared from the A185C(cytb)/K70C(ISP) mutant cells. Formation of the intersubunit disulfide bond in this cysteine pair mutant complex is concurrent with the loss of its bc(1) activity. Reduction of this disulfide bond by beta-mercaptoethanol restores activity, indicating that mobility of the head domain of ISP is functionally important in the cytochrome bc(1) complex. The rate of intramolecular electron transfer, between 2Fe2S and heme c(1), in the A185C(cytb)/K70C(ISP) mutant complex is much lower than that in the wild type or in their respective single cysteine mutant complexes, indicating that formation of an intersubunit disulfide bond between cytochrome b and ISP arrests the head domain of ISP in the "fixed state" position, which is too far for electron transfer to heme c(1).

Subunit IV of cytochrome bc1 complex from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Localization of regions essential for interaction with the three-subunit core complex

Recombinant subunit IV mutants which identify the regions essential for restoration of bc(1) activity to the three-subunit core complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides were generated and characterized. Four C-terminal truncated mutants: IV(1-109), IV(1-85), IV(1-76), and IV(1-40) had 100, 0, 0, and 0% of reconstitutive activity of the wild-type IV, indicating that residues 86-109 are essential. IV(1-109) is associated with the core complex in the same manner as the wild-type IV while mutants IV(1-85), IV(1-76), and IV(1-40) do not associate with the core complex, indicating that subunit IV requires its transmembrane helix region (residues 86-109) for assembly into the bc(1) complex. Since GST-IV(86-109) fusion protein has little reconstitutive activity, some region(s) in residues 1-85 are required for bc(1) activity restoration after subunit IV is incorporated into the complex through the transmembrane helix, presumably by interaction with cytochrome b in the core complex. The interacting regions are identified as residues 41-53 and 77-85, since mutants IV(21-109), IV(41-109), IV(54-109), and IV(77-109) had 95, 98, 53, and 53% of the reconstitutive activity of the wild-type IV. These two interacting regions are on the cytoplasmic side of the chromatophore membrane and closed to the DE loop and helix G of cytochrome b, respectively.

Identification of quinone-binding and heme-ligating residues of the smallest membrane-anchoring subunit (QPs3) of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate:ubiquinone reductase

The smallest membrane-anchoring subunit (QPs3) of bovine heart succinate:ubiquinone reductase was overexpressed in Escherichia coli JM109 as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein using the expression vector pGEX2T/QPs3. The yield of soluble active recombinant glutathione S-transferase-QPs3 fusion protein was isopropyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside concentration-, induction growth time-, temperature-, and medium-dependent. Maximum yield of soluble recombinant fusion protein was obtained from cells harvested 3.5 h post-isopropyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (0.4 mM)-induction growth at 25 degrees C in 2.0% tryptone, 0.5% yeast extract, 10 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl2, 20 mM glucose (SOC medium) containing 440 mM sorbitol and 2.5 mM betaine. QPs3 was released from the fusion protein by proteolytic cleavage with thrombin. Isolated recombinant QPs3 shows one protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that corresponds to subunit V of mitochondrial succinate:ubiquinone reductase. Although purified recombinant QPs3 is dispersed in 0.01% dodecylmaltoside, it is in a highly aggregated form, with an apparent molecular mass of more than 1 million. The recombinant QPs3 binds ubiquinone, causing a spectral blue shift. Upon titration of the recombinant protein with ubiquinone, a saturation behavior is observed, suggesting that the binding is specific and that recombinant QPs3 may be in the functionally active state. Two amino acid residues, serine 33 and tyrosine 37, in the putative ubiquinone binding domain of QPs3 are involved in ubiquinone binding because the S33A- or Y37A-substituted recombinant QPs3s do not cause the spectral blue shift of ubiquinone. Although recombinant QPs3 contains little cytochrome b560 heme, the spectral characteristics of cytochrome b560 are reconstituted upon addition of hemin chloride. Reconstituted cytochrome b560 in recombinant QPs3 shows a EPR signal at g = 2.92. Histidine residues at positions 46 and 60 are responsible for heme ligation because the H46N- or H60N-substituted QPs3 fail to restore cytochrome b560 upon addition of hemin chloride.

Characterization of the human SDHC gene encoding of the integral membrane proteins of succinate-quinone oxidoreductase in mitochondria

Complex II of mitochondria contains succinate dehydrogenase and subunits to link this enzyme directly to the inner mitochondrial membrane. The four peptides of this complex are the flavoprotein (Fp) and iron-sulfur protein (Ip) of the dehydrogenase, and two integral membrane proteins referred to as C(II-3) and C(II-4). Their respective genes in mammals are SDHA, SDHB, SDHC and SDHD) in order of decreasing molecular weights of the peptides. In this paper we describe the identification of two pseudogenes and the complete characterization and mapping of the active SDHC gene in humans. The active gene, encoding a small peptide of 15.5 kDa, has six exons and five introns extending over 35 kb. It has been mapped at position 1q21, adjacent to the pericentric heterochromatin on the long arm of chromosome 1. Approximately I kb of the promoter region has also been sequenced and examined for sequence motifs suggesting the binding of known transcription factors. Several potential sites for the nuclear respiratory factors NRF-1 and NRF-2 were identified.

Molecular genetics of succinate:quinone oxidoreductase in eukaryotes

Succinate:quinone oxidoreductase is a membrane-associated complex in mitochondria, often referred to as complex II, based on the fractionation scheme developed by Y. Hatefi and colleagues. It consists of four peptides, two of which are integral membrane proteins (15 and 12-13 kDa, respectively) and two others that are peripheral membrane proteins, i.e., a flavoprotein (Fp, 70 kDa) and an iron-protein (Ip, 27 kDa). The mature, functional complex contains a cytochrome in association with the membrane proteins, a flavin linked covalently to the largest peptide, and three iron-sulfur clusters in the 27-kDa subunit. The present review touches only briefly on the biochemical and biophysical properties of this complex. Instead, the focus is on the molecular-genetic studies that have become possible since the first genes from eukaryotes were cloned in 1989. The evolutionary conservation of the amino acid sequence of both the Fp and the Ip peptides has facilitated the cloning of these genes from a large variety of eukaryotic organisms by PCR-based methods. The review addresses questions related to the regulation of the expression of these genes, with an emphasis on mammals and yeast, for which most of the information is available. Four different genes have to be co-ordinately regulated. Transcriptional as well as posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms have been observed in diverse organisms. Intriguing observations have been made in studies of this enzyme during the life cycle of organisms existing alternately under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Naturally occurring or induced mutations in these genes have shed light on several questions related to the assembly of this complex, and on the relationship between structure and function. Four different peptides are imported into the mitochondria. They have to be modified, folded, and assembled. The stage is set for the exploration of highly specific changes introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. Until recently the genes were believed to be exclusively nuclear in all eukaryotes, but exceptions have since been found. This finding has relevance in the discussion of the evolution of mitochondria from prokaryotes. A highly conserved set of genes is found in prokaryotes, and some informative comparisons on gene organization and expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes have been included.

Reconstitution of cytochrome b-560 (QPs1) of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase

The QPs1 subunit of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase was overexpressed in Escherichia coli DH5 alpha cells as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein (GST-QPs1) using the expression vector, pGEX/QPs1. The yield of soluble active recombinant GST-QPs1 fusion protein depends on the IPTG concentration, induction growth time, temperature, and medium. Maximum yield of recombinant fusion protein was obtained from cells harvested 3 h postinduction of growth with 0.5 mM IPTG at 27 degrees C in an enriched medium containing betaine and sorbitol. QPs1 is released from the fusion protein by proteolytic cleavage with thrombin. Isolated recombinant QPs1 shows one protein band in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis corresponding to subunit III of mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase. However, partial N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of recombinant QPs1 shows two extra amino acid residues, glycine and serine, at the N-terminus of mature QPs1, resulting from the recombinant manipulation. When isolated recombinant QPs1 is dispersed in 0.01% dodecyl maltoside, it is in a highly aggregated form with an apparent molecular mass of over 1 million. Recombinant GST-QPs1 contains little cytochrome b-560 heme. However, addition of hemin chloride restores the spectral characteristics of cytochrome b-560. Cytochrome b-560 restoration varies with the amount of hemin used. Maximum reconstitution is obtained when the molar ratio of heme to fusion protein used in the system is 0.6. Reconstituted cytochrome b-560 shows a EPR signal at g = 2.91 which corresponds to one of the EPR signals of cytochrome b-560 in a QPs preparation. When GST-QPs1 with reconstituted cytochrome b-560 is treated with thrombin to cleave GST from QPs1, no change in the absorption and EPR characteristics of cytochrome b-560 is observed, indicating that the bis-histidine ligands of reconstituted cytochrome b-560 are provided by QPs1.

The smallest membrane anchoring subunit (QPs3) of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase. Cloning, sequencing, topology, and Q-binding domain

The cDNA encoding the smallest membrane-anchoring subunit (QPs3) of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase was cloned and sequenced. This cDNA is 1330 base pairs long with an open reading frame of 474 base pairs that encodes the 103 amino acid residues of mature QPs3 and a 55-amino acid residue presequence. The cDNA insert has an 820-base pair long 3'-untranslated region, including a poly(A) tail. The molecular mass of QPs3, deduced from the nucleotide sequence, is 10,989 Da. QPs3 is a very hydrophobic protein; the hydropathy plot of the amino acid sequence reveals three transmembrane helices. Previous photoaffinity labeling studies of succinate-ubiquinone reductase, using 3-azido-2-methyl-5-methoxy[3H]-6-decyl-1,4-benzoquinone ([3H]azido-Q), identified QPs3 as one of the putative Q-binding proteins in this reductase. An azido-Q-linked peptide with a retention time of 66 min is obtained by high performance liquid chromatography of the chymotrypsin digest of carboxymethylated and succinylated [3H]azido-Q-labeled QPs3 purified from labeled succinate-ubiquinone reductase by a procedure involving phenyl-Sepharose 4B column chromatography, preparative SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and acetone precipitation. The amino acid sequence of this peptide is NH2-L-N-P-C-S-A-M-D-Y-COOH, corresponding to residues 29-37. The structure of QPs3 in the inner mitochondrial membrane is proposed based on the hydropathy profile of the amino acid sequence, on the predicted tendencies to form alpha-helices and beta-sheets, and on immunobinding of Fab' fragmenthorseradish peroxidase conjugates prepared from antibodies against two synthetic peptides, corresponding to the NH2 terminus region and the loop connecting helices 2 and 3 of QPs3, in mitoplasts and submitochondrial particles. The ubiquinone-binding domain in the proposed model of QPs3 is probably located at the end of transmembrane helix 1 toward the C-side of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Resolution and reconstitution of succinate-ubiquinone reductase from Escherichia coli

A modified procedure is developed for isolation of highly purified succinate-ubiquinone reductase from Escherichia coli NM256 containing a cloned sdh operon in a multicopy plasmid. Succinate-ubiquinone reductase is solubilized from the membrane by polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether and purified by DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. The isolated reductase is resolved into a reconstitutively active, two-subunit succinate dehydrogenase and a two-subunit membrane anchoring protein fraction (the SdhC-SdhD fraction) by alkaline (pH 10.2) treatment of the reductase in the presence of 1 M urea, followed by DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography under anaerobic conditions. Isolated succinate dehydrogenase and the SdhC-SdhD fraction alone show no succinate-ubiquinone reductase activity. However, when a given amount of the SdhC-SdhD fraction is mixed with varying amounts of succinate dehydrogenase or vice versa succinate-ubiquinone reductase activity increases as the amount of succinate dehydrogenase or the SdhC-SdhD fraction added increases. Maximum reconstitution is obtained when the weight ratio of succinate dehydrogenase to the SdhC-SdhD fraction reaches 5.26. This ratio is slightly higher than the calculated value of 3.37, obtained by assuming 1 mol of succinate dehydrogenase reacts with 1 mol of SdhC and SdhD. The isolated SdhC-SdhD fraction contains 35 nmol cytochrome b556/mg protein. Unlike mitochondrial cytochrome b560, the cytochrome b556 is reducible by succinate in the isolated and complex forms. Furthermore, cytochrome b556 in the isolated SdhC-SdhD fraction has absorption properties, carbon monoxide reactivity, and EPR characteristics similar to those of cytochrome b556 in intact succinate-ubiquinone reductase, indicating that its heme environments are not affected by the presence of succinate dehydrogenase. However, the redox potential of cytochrome b556 in the SdhC-SdhD fraction (22 mV) increases slightly when complexed with succinate dehydrogenase (34 mV). No hybrid succinate-ubiquinone reductase is formed from mitochondrial QPs (the membrane-anchoring protein fraction of bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase) and E. coli succinate dehydrogenase or vice versa. However, the cytochrome b556 in E. coli SdhC-SdhD fraction is reducible by succinate in the presence of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, and the rate of cytochrome b556 reduction correlates with the reconstitutive activity of the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase.

Cloning of a cDNA encoding the small subunit of cytochrome b558 (cybS) of mitochondrial fumarate reductase (complex II) from adult Ascaris suum

Complex II in the mitochondria of the adult parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, exhibits high fumarate reductase activity in addition to succinate dehydrogenase activity and plays a key role in the anaerobic energy metabolism of the worm. In this study, the amino acid sequence of the small subunit of cytochrome b558 (cybS) in adult complex II was deduced from the cDNA isolated by immunoscreening an A. suum muscle cDNA library. Histidine residues, which are possible heme axial ligands in cytochrome b558, were found in the second transmembrane segment of the subunit. This is the first report of the primary structure of the small subunit in the two-subunit cytochrome b in mitochondrial complex II from a multicellular eukaryote.

Two hydrophobic subunits are essential for the heme b ligation and functional assembly of complex II (succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase) from Escherichia coli

Complex II (succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase) from Escherichia coli is composed of four nonidentical subunits encoded by the sdhCDAB operon. Gene products of sdhC and sdhD are small hydrophobic subunits that anchor the hydrophilic catalytic subunits (flavoprotein and iron-sulfur protein) to the cytoplasmic membrane and are believed to be the components of cytochrome b556 in E. coli complex II. In the present study, to elucidate the role of two hydrophobic subunits in the heme b ligation and functional assembly of complex II, plasmids carrying portions of the sdh gene were constructed and introduced into E. coli MK3, which lacks succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase activities. The expression of polypeptides with molecular masses of about 19 and 17 kDa was observed when sdhC and sdhD were introduced into MK3, respectively, indicating that sdhC encodes the large subunit (cybL) and sdhD the small subunit (cybS) of cytochrome b556. An increase in cytochrome b content was found in the membrane when sdhD was introduced, while the cytochrome b content did not change when sdhC was introduced. However, the cytochrome b expressed by the plasmid carrying sdhD differed from cytochrome b556 in its CO reactivity and red shift of the alpha absorption peak to 557.5 nm at 77 K. Neither hydrophobic subunit was able to bind the catalytic portion to the membrane, and only succinate dehydrogenase activity, not succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity, was found in the cytoplasmic fractions of the cells. In contrast, significantly higher amounts of cytochrome b556 were expressed in the membrane when sdhC and sdhD genes were both present, and the catalytic portion was found to be localized in the membrane with succinate-ubiquitnone oxidoreductase and succinate oxidase activities. These results strongly suggest that both hydrophobic subunits are required for heme insertion into cytochrome b556 and are essential for the functional assembly of E. coli complex II in the membrane. Accumulation of the catalytic portion in the cytoplasm was found when sdhCDAB was introduced into a heme synthesis mutant, suggesting the importance of heme in the assembly of E. coli complex II.

Genes for two subunits of succinate dehydrogenase form a cluster on the mitochondrial genome of Rhodophyta

Mitochondrial DNA from the unicellular rhodophyte Cyanidium caldarium RK-1 and the multicellular Chondrus crispus were isolated, cloned, and sequenced. Two genes, sdhB and sdhC, that encode subunits of the succinate dehydrogenase, were identified by similarity. These genes form a cluster (sdhCB) in both red algae.

Resolution of the aerobic respiratory system of the thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus sp. strain 7. III. The archaeal novel respiratory complex II (succinate:caldariellaquinone oxidoreductase complex) inherently lacks heme group

An active respiratory complex II (succinate:quinone oxidoreductase) has been purified from tetraether lipid membranes of the thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus sp. strain 7. It consists of four different subunits with apparent molecular masses of 66, 37, 33, and 12 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 66-kDa subunit contains a covalently bound flavin, the 37-kDa subunit is a possible iron-sulfur protein carrying three distinct types of EPR-visible FeS cluster, and the 33- and 12-kDa subunits are putative membrane-anchor subunits, respectively. While no heme group is detected in the purified complex II, it catalyzes succinate-dependent reduction of ubiquinone-1 and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol in the absence of phenazine methosulfate. The respiratory complex II of Sulfolobus sp. strain 7 appears to be novel in that it functions as a true succinate:caldariellaquinone oxidoreductase, although inherently lacking any heme group. This further indicates that the heme group of several respiratory complexes II may not be involved in the redox intermediates of the electron transfer from succinate to quinone.

A Chinese hamster mutant cell line with a defect in the integral membrane protein CII-3 of complex II of the mitochondrial electron transport chain

In this study, a respiration-deficient Chinese hamster cell line with a defect in succinate dehydrogenase activity is shown to result from a single base change in a codon in the coding sequence for the membrane anchor protein CII-3 (also referred to as QPs-1). A premature translation stop results in the truncation of 33 amino acids from the C terminus. Bovine cDNA encoding this peptide complements the mutation. There is about 82% identity between these two mammalian proteins. The gene for CII-3 was mapped on human chromosome 1, and because it is also found on minichromosomes characterized by our laboratory, we can localize it on the short arm within 1-2 megabases from the centromere.

Transmembrane topology and axial ligands to hemes in the cytochrome b subunit of Bacillus subtilis succinate:menaquinone reductase

The membrane-anchoring subunit of Bacillus subtilis succinate:menaquinone reductase is a protein of 202 residues containing two protoheme IX groups with bis-histidine axial ligation. Residues His13, His28, His70, His113, and His155 are the possible heme ligands. The transmembrane topology of this cytochrome was analyzed using fusions to alkaline phosphatase. The results support a proposed model with five transmembrane polypeptide segments and the N-terminus exposed to the cytoplasm. Mutant B. subtilis cytochromes containing a His13-->Tyr, a His28-->Tyr, and a His113-->Tyr mutation, respectively, were produced in Escherichia coli, partially purified, and analyzed. In addition, succinate: menaquinone reductase containing the His13-->Tyr mutation in the anchor subunit was overproduced in B. subtilis, purified, and characterized. The data demonstrate that His13 is not an axial heme ligand. Thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of the cytochrome are, however, affected by the His13-->Tyr mutation; compared to wild type, the redox potentials of both hemes are negatively shifted and the gmax signal in the EPR spectrum of the high-potential heme is shifted from 3.68 to 3.50. From the combined results we conclude that His28 and His113 function as axial ligands to the low-potential heme, which is located in the membrane near the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. Residues His70 and His155 ligate the high-potential heme, which is positioned close to His13 in the protein, near the inner surface of the membrane.

Spectroscopic identification of the axial ligands of cytochrome b560 in bovine heart succinate-ubiquinone reductase

The axial ligands of low potential cytochrome b560 in the five subunit bovine heart succinate-ubiquinone reductase complex and in the isolated quinone binding proteins have been investigated using EPR and near-infrared magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies. The results are consistent with bis-histidine ligation with near-perpendicular imidazole rings for cytochrome b560 in the four-subunit complex. The pronounced changes in EPR properties that accompany isolation of the cytochrome-b560 containing quinone binding proteins, are attributed to perturbation of the orientation of the imidazole rings of the heme bis-histidine ligands, rather than a change in axial ligation.

Identification of the ubiquinone-binding domain in QPs1 of succinate-ubiquinone reductase

An azidoubiquinone derivative, 3-azido-2-methyl-5-methoxy [3H]-6-decyl-1,4-benzoquinone ([3H]azido-Q), was used to study the ubiquinone-protein interaction and to identify ubiquinone-binding proteins in bovine heart mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone reductase. When the reductase was incubated with [3H]azido-Q and illuminated with long wavelength UV light, the decrease in the enzymatic activity correlated with the amount of azido-Q incorporated into the protein. When the illuminated, [3H]azido-Q-treated reductase was extracted with organic solvent and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, radioactivity was found primarily in the QPs1 subunit. The [3H]azido-Q-labeled QPs1 was purified from labeled reductase by a procedure involving ammonium sulfate fractionation, dialysis, organic solvent extraction, lyophilization, preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and cold acetone precipitation. The purified, [3H]azido-Q-labeled QPs1 protein was subjected to reductive carboxymethylation prior to digestion by trypsin. One azido-Q-linked peptide, with a retention time of 66.9 min, was obtained by high performance liquid chromatographic separation. The partial amino-terminal sequence of this peptide is GLTISQL-, indicating that this tryptic peptide comprises amino acid residues 113-140 of the revised amino acid sequence of QPs1. The Q-binding domain, using the proposed structure of QPs1, is probably located in the stretch connecting transmembrane helices 2 and 3 that extrude from the surface of the M side of the inner membrane.

The cDNA sequence of beef heart CII-3, a membrane-intrinsic subunit of succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase

We provide the first full-length cDNA and amino acid sequences for beef heart CII-3, one of two hydrophobic subunits that bind succinate dehydrogenase to the mitochondrial inner membrane to form succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (EC 1.3.99.1). Other low molecular weight proteins present in preparations of the isolated complex, including three possible forms of the second anchor polypeptide CII-4, have been identified by amino terminal sequencing.

Characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nuclear gene CYB3 encoding a cytochrome b polypeptide of respiratory complex II

Computer-assisted structural analysis of the predicted product of the previously described open reading frame (ORF) YKL4 located on the left arm of chromosome XI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed a high degree of similarity (> 50%) to bovine cytochrome b560, the sdhC polypeptide of the Escherichia coli succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex and the protein specified by ORF137 located on the chloroplast DNA of Marchantia polymorpha. Disruption of the yeast gene severely impaired mitochondrial function, while Northern analysis showed it to be subject to catabolite repression. Deletion analysis of the CYB3 promoter identified a single HAP2/3/4-binding element that is necessary and sufficient for carbon source-dependent transcriptional regulation. These experiments also suggested the presence of additional, as yet unidentified, transcriptional control elements, both negative and positive. Taken together, these data lead us to conclude that the CYB3 gene encodes the yeast homolog of the bovine cytochrome b560 component of complex II of the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

C. elegans cell survival gene ced-9 encodes a functional homolog of the mammalian proto-oncogene bcl-2

The activity of the C. elegans gene ced-9 is required to protect cells that normally survive from undergoing programmed cell death. Here we describe the cloning and molecular characterization of this gene. ced-9 is an element of a polycistronic locus that also contains the gene cyt-1, which encodes a protein similar to cytochrome b560 of complex II of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. ced-9 encodes a 280 amino acid protein showing sequence and structural similarities to the mammalian proto-oncogene bcl-2. Overexpression of bcl-2 can mimic the protective effect of ced-9 on C. elegans cell death and can prevent the ectopic cell deaths that occur in ced-9 loss-of-function mutants. These results suggest that ced-9 and bcl-2 are homologs and that the molecular mechanism of programmed cell death has been conserved from nematodes to mammals.