Multifaceted effects of ATP on cardiolipin-bound cytochrome c

Binding of yeast and human cytochrome c to cardiolipin nanodiscs at physiological ionic strength

Binding of cytochrome c (Cytc) to membranes containing cardiolipin (CL) is of considerable interest because of the importance of this interaction in the early stages of apoptosis. The molecular-level determinants of this interaction are still not well defined and there appear to be species-specific differences in Cytc affinity for CL-containing membranes. Many studies are carried out at low ionic strength far from the 100-150 mM ionic strength within mitochondria. Similarly, most binding studies are done at Cytc concentrations of 10 μM or less, much lower that the estimated range of 0.1 to 5 mM Cytc present in mitochondria. In this study, we evaluate binding of human and yeast Cytc to CL nanodiscs using size exclusion chromatography at 25 μM Cytc concentration and 100 mM ionic strength. We find that yeast Cytc affinity for CL nanodiscs is much stronger than that of human Cytc. Mutational analysis of the site A binding surface shows that lysines 86 and 87 are more important for yeast Cytc binding to CL nanodiscs than lysines 72 and 73, counter to results at lower ionic strength. Analysis of the electrostatic surface potential of human versus yeast Cytc shows that the positive potential due to lysines 86 and 87 and other nearby lysines (4, 5, 11, 89) is stronger than that due to lysines 72 and 73. In the case of human Cytc the positive potential around site A is less uniform and likely weakens electrostatic binding to CL membranes through site A.

Application research of novel peptide mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant SS-31 in mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction

Due to the pivotal role of mitochondria in the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the regulation of cellular homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction may exert a profound impact on various physiological systems, potentially precipitating a spectrum of distinct diseases. Consequently, research pertaining to mitochondrial therapeutics has assumed increasing significance, warranting heightened scrutiny. In recent years, the field of mitochondrial therapy has witnessed noteworthy advancements, with active exploration into diverse pharmacological agents aimed at ameliorating mitochondrial function. Elamipretide (SS-31), a novel synthetic mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, has emerged as a promising candidate with extensive therapeutic potential. Its notable attributes encompass the mitigation of oxidative stress, the suppression of inflammatory processes, the maintenance of mitochondrial dynamics, and the prevention of cellular apoptosis. As such, SS-31 may emerge as a viable choice for the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction-related ailments in the foreseeable future. This article extensively expounds upon the superiority of SS-31 over natural antioxidants and traditional mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants, delves into its mechanisms of modulating mitochondrial function, and comprehensively summarizes its applications in alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction-associated disorders. Furthermore, we offer a comprehensive outlook on the expansive prospects of SS-31's future development and application.

Effects of removal of the axial methionine heme ligand on the binding of S. cerevisiae iso-1 cytochrome c to cardiolipin

The cleavage of the axial S(Met) - Fe bond in cytochrome c (cytc) upon binding to cardiolipin (CL), a glycerophospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane, is one of the key molecular changes that impart cytc with (lipo)peroxidase activity essential to its pro-apoptotic function. In this work, UV - VIS, CD, MCD and fluorescence spectroscopies were used to address the role of the Fe - M80 bond in controlling the cytc-CL interaction, by studying the binding of the Met80Ala (M80A) variant of S. cerevisiae iso-1 cytc (ycc) to CL liposomes in comparison with the wt protein [Paradisi et al. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 25 (2020) 467-487]. The results show that the integrity of the six-coordinate heme center along with the distal heme site containing the Met80 ligand is a not requisite for cytc binding to CL. Indeed, deletion of the Fe - S(Met80) bond has a little impact on the mechanism of ycc-CL interaction, although it results in an increased heme accessibility to solvent and a reduced structural stability of the protein. In particular, M80A features a slightly tighter binding to CL at low CL/cytc ratios compared to wt ycc, possibly due to the lift of some constraints to the insertion of the CL acyl chains into the protein hydrophobic core. M80A binding to CL maintains the dependence on the CL-to-cytc mixing scheme displayed by the wt species.

Cytochrome c Interaction with Cardiolipin Plays a Key Role in Cell Apoptosis: Implications for Human Diseases

In the cell cytochrome, c performs different functions depending on the environment in which it acts; therefore, it has been classified as a multifunction protein. When anchored to the outer side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, native cytochrome c acts as a Schweitzer-StennerSchweitzer-Stenner that transfers electrons from cytochrome c reductase to cytochrome c oxidase in the respiratory chain. On the other hand, to interact with cardiolipin (one of the phospholipids making up the mitochondrial membrane) and form the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex in the apoptotic process, the protein reorganizes its structure into a non-native state characterized by different asymmetry. The formation of the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex is a fundamental step of the apoptotic pathway, since the structural rearrangement induces peroxidase activity in cytochrome c, the subsequent permeabilization of the membrane, and the release of the free protein into the cytoplasm, where cytochrome c activates the apoptotic process. Apoptosis is closely related to the pathogenesis of neoplastic, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases; in this contest, the biosynthesis and remodeling of cardiolipin are crucial for the regulation of the apoptotic process. Since the role of cytochrome c as a promoter of apoptosis strictly depends on the non-native conformation(s) that the protein acquires when bound to the cardiolipin and such event leads to cytochrome c traslocation into the cytosol, the structural and functional properties of the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex in cell fate will be the focus of the present review.

Adsorbing surface strongly influences the pseudoperoxidase and nitrite reductase activity of electrode-bound yeast cytochrome c. The effect of hydrophobic immobilization

The Met80Ala and Met80Ala/Tyr67Ala variants of S. cerevisiae iso-1 cytochrome c (ycc) and their adducts with cardiolipin immobilized onto a gold electrode coated with a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of decane-1-thiol were studied through cyclic voltammetry and surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS). The electroactive species - containing a six-coordinate His/His axially ligated heme and a five-coordinate His/- heme stable in the oxidized and reduced state, respectively - and the pseudoperoxidase activity match those found previously for the wt species and are only slightly affected by CL binding. Most importantly, the reduced His/- ligated form of these variants is able to catalytically reduce the nitrite ion, while electrode-immobilized wt ycc and other His/Met heme ligated variants under a variety of conditions are not. Besides the pseudoperoxidase and nitrite reductase functions, which are the most physiologically relevant abilities of these constructs, also axial heme ligation and the equilibria between conformers are strongly affected by the nature - hydrophobic vs. electrostatic - of the non-covalent interactions determining protein immobilization. Also affected are the catalytic activity changes induced by a given mutation as well as those due to partial unfolding due to CL binding. It follows that under the same solution conditions the structural and functional properties of immobilized ycc are surface-specific and therefore cannot be transferred from an immobilized system to another involving different interfacial protein-SAM interactions.

The Role of Cardiolipin and Mitochondrial Damage in Kidney Transplant

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly incident and prevalent in the world. The death of patients with CKD is primarily due to cardiovascular disease. Renal transplantation (RT) emerges as the best management alternative for patients with CKD. However, the incidence of acute renal graft dysfunction is 11.8% of the related living donor and 17.4% of the cadaveric donor. Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) or antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs) are important risk factors for acute renal graft dysfunction. The determination of ACA or APA to candidates for RT could serve as prognostic markers of early graft failure and would indicate which patients could benefit from anticoagulant therapy. Cardiolipin is a fundamental molecule that plays an important role in the adequate conformation of the mitochondrial cristae and the correct assembly of the mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes and other proteins essential for proper mitochondrial function. Cardiolipin undergoes a nonrandom oxidation process by having pronounced specificity unrelated to the polyunsaturation pattern of its acyl groups. Accumulation of hydroxyl derivatives and cardiolipin hydroperoxides has been observed in the affected tissues, and recent studies showed that oxidation of cardiolipin is carried out by a cardiolipin-specific peroxidase activity of cardiolipin-bound cytochrome c. Cardiolipin could be responsible for the proapoptotic production of death signals. Cardiolipin modulates the production of energy and participates in inflammation, mitophagy, and cellular apoptosis. The determination of cardiolipin or its antibodies is an attractive therapeutic, diagnostic target in RT and kidney diseases.

Relating the multi-functionality of cytochrome c to membrane binding and structural conversion

Cytochrome c is known as an electron-carrying protein in the respiratory chain of mitochondria. Over the last 20 years, however, alternative functions of this very versatile protein have become the focus of research interests. Upon binding to anionic lipids such as cardiolipin, the protein acquires peroxidase activity. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that this requires a conformational change of the protein which involves partial unfolding of its tertiary structure. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of how cytochrome c interacts with cardiolipin-containing surfaces and how this affects its structure and function. In this context, we delineate partially conflicting results regarding the affinity of cytochrome c binding to cardiolipin-containing liposomes of different size and its influence on the structure of the protein and the morphology of the membrane.

Tetrabromobisphenol A induces cellular damages in pancreatic β-cells in vitro

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a well-known organobrominated flame retardant. TBBPA has been detected in the environment. The roles played by environmental pollutants in increasing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome are attracting increasing concern. In the present work, we investigated the effects of TBBPA on rat pancreatic β-cells (the RIN-m5F cell line). RIN-m5F cells were incubated with different concentrations of TBBPA for 48 h, and cell viability and the extent of apoptosis were determined. We also measured the levels of inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and cardiolipin, as well as the extent of cytochrome c release from mitochondria. TBBPA reduced the ATP level, induced cardiolipin peroxidation and cytochrome c release, and triggered apoptotic cell death. Moreover, TBBPA increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β), nitric oxide, intracellular ROS, and mitochondrial superoxide. Together, our results indicate that TBBPA damages pancreatic β-cells by triggering mitochondrial dysfunction and inducing apoptosis.

Revisiting Kadenbach: Electron flux rate through cytochrome c-oxidase determines the ATP-inhibitory effect and subsequent production of ROS

Mitochondrial respiration is the predominant source of ATP. Excessive rates of electron transport cause a higher production of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS). There are two regulatory mechanisms known. The first, according to Mitchel, is dependent on the mitochondrial membrane potential that drives ATP synthase for ATP production, and the second, the Kadenbach mechanism, is focussed on the binding of ATP to Cytochrome c Oxidase (CytOx) at high ATP/ADP ratios, which results in an allosteric conformational change to CytOx, causing inhibition. In times of stress, ATP-dependent inhibition is switched off and the activity of CytOx is exclusively determined by the membrane potential, leading to an increase in ROS production. The second mechanism for respiratory control depends on the quantity of electron transfer to the Heme aa3 of CytOx. When ATP is bound to CytOx the enzyme is inhibited, and ROS formation is decreased, although the mitochondrial membrane potential is increased.

A Compact Structure of Cytochrome c Trapped in a Lysine-Ligated State: Loop Refolding and Functional Implications of a Conformational Switch

It has been suggested that the alkaline form of cytochrome c (cyt c) regulates function of this protein as an electron carrier in oxidative phosphorylation and as a peroxidase that reacts with cardiolipin (CL) during apoptosis. In this form, Met80, the native ligand to the heme iron, is replaced by a Lys. While it has become clear that the structure of cyt c changes, the extent and sequence of conformational rearrangements associated with this ligand replacement remain a subject of debate. Herein we report a high-resolution crystal structure of a Lys73-ligated cyt c conformation that reveals intricate change in the heme environment upon this switch in the heme iron ligation. The structure is surprisingly compact, and the heme coordination loop refolds into a β-hairpin with a turn formed by the highly conserved residues Pro76 and Gly77. Repositioning of residue 78 modifies the intraprotein hydrogen-bonding network and, together with adjustments of residues 52 and 74, increases the volume of the heme pocket to allow for insertion of one of the CL acyl moieties next to Asn52. Derivatization of Cys78 with maleimide creates a solution mimic of the Lys-ligated cyt c that has enhanced peroxidase activity, adding support for a role of the Lys-ligated cyt c in the apoptotic mechanism. Experiments with the heme peptide microperoxidase-8 and engineered model proteins provide a thermodynamic rationale for the switch to Lys ligation upon perturbations in the protein scaffold.

Disruption of cytochrome c heme coordination is responsible for mitochondrial injury during ischemia

BACKGROUND

It was recently suggested that electron flow into cyt c, coupled with ROS generation, oxidizes cyt c Met(80) to Met(80) sulfoxide (Met-O) in isolated hearts after ischemia-reperfusion, and converts cyt c to a peroxidase. We hypothesize that ischemia disrupts Met(80)-Fe ligation of cyt c, forming pentacoordinated heme Fe(2+), which inhibits electron transport (ET) and promotes oxygenase activity.

METHODS

SS-20 (Phe-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2) was used to demonstrate the role of Met(80)-Fe ligation in ischemia. Mitochondria were isolated from ischemic rat kidneys to determine sites of respiratory inhibition. Mitochondrial cyt c and cyt c Met-O were quantified by western blot, and cristae architecture was examined by electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Biochemical and structural studies showed that SS-20 selectively targets cardiolipin (CL) and protects Met(80)-Fe ligation in cyt c. Ischemic mitochondria showed 17-fold increase in Met-O cyt c, and dramatic cristaeolysis. Loss of cyt c was associated with proteolytic degradation of OPA1. Ischemia significantly inhibited ET initiated by direct reduction of cyt c and coupled respiration. All changes were prevented by SS-20.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that ischemia disrupts the Met(80)-Fe ligation of cyt c resulting in the formation of a globin-like pentacoordinated heme Fe(2+) that inhibits ET, and converts cyt c into an oxygenase to cause CL peroxidation and proteolytic degradation of OPA1, resulting in cyt c release.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Cyt c heme structure represents a novel target for minimizing ischemic injury. SS-20, which we show to selectively target CL and protect the Met(80)-Fe ligation, minimizes ischemic injury and promotes ATP recovery.

A mitochondrial therapeutic reverses visual decline in mouse models of diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by progressive vision loss and the advancement of retinal micoraneurysms, edema and angiogenesis. Unfortunately, managing glycemia or targeting vascular complications with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents has shown only limited efficacy in treating the deterioration of vision in diabetic retinopathy. In light of growing evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction is an independent pathophysiology of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, we investigated whether selectively targeting and improving mitochondrial dysfunction is a viable treatment for visual decline in diabetes. Measures of spatial visual behavior, blood glucose, bodyweight and optical clarity were made in mouse models of diabetes. Treatment groups were administered MTP-131, a water-soluble tetrapeptide that selectively targets mitochondrial cardiolipin and promotes efficient electron transfer, either systemically or in eye drops. Progressive visual decline emerged in untreated animals before the overt symptoms of metabolic and ophthalmic abnormalities were manifest, but with time, visual dysfunction was accompanied by compromised glucose clearance, and elevated blood glucose and bodyweight. MTP-131 treatment reversed the visual decline without improving glycemic control or reducing bodyweight. These data provide evidence that visuomotor decline is an early complication of diabetes. They also indicate that selectively treating mitochondrial dysfunction with MTP-131 has the potential to remediate the visual dysfunction and to complement existing treatments for diabetic retinopathy.

Summary: Visual decline in mouse models of diabetes is reversed, independently of treating other disease symptoms, by treatment with MTP-131, a water-soluble peptide that selectively targets cardiolipin and improves mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Double-edged sword in cells: chemical biology studies of the vital role of cytochrome c in the intrinsic pre-apoptotic mitochondria leakage pathway

Besides functioning as an electron transporter in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, cytochrome c (cyt c) is also one of the determinants in the execution of cell death.

Improving mitochondrial bioenergetics under ischemic conditions increases warm ischemia tolerance in the kidney

Ischemia time during partial nephrectomy is strongly associated with acute and chronic renal injury. ATP depletion during warm ischemia inhibits ATP-dependent processes, resulting in cell swelling, cytoskeletal breakdown, and cell death. The duration of ischemia tolerated by the kidney depends on the amount of ATP that can be produced with residual substrates and oxygen in the tissue to sustain cell function. We previously reported that the rat can tolerate 30-min ischemia quite well but 45-min ischemia results in acute kidney injury and progressive interstitial fibrosis. Here, we report that pretreatment with SS-20 30 min before warm ischemia in the rat increased ischemia tolerance from 30 to 45 min. Histological examination of kidney tissues revealed that SS-20 reduced cytoskeletal breakdown and cell swelling after 45-min ischemia. Electron microscopy showed that SS-20 reduced mitochondrial matrix swelling and preserved cristae membranes, suggesting that SS-20 enhanced mitochondrial ATP synthesis under ischemic conditions. Studies with isolated kidney mitochondria showed dramatic reduction in state 3 respiration and respiratory control ratio after 45-min ischemia, and this was significantly improved by SS-20 treatment. These results suggest that SS-20 increases efficiency of the electron transport chain and improves coupling of oxidative phosphorylation. SS-20 treatment after ischemia also significantly reduced interstitial fibrosis. These new findings reveal that enhancing mitochondrial bioenergetics may be an important target for improving ischemia tolerance, and SS-20 may serve well for minimizing acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease following surgical procedures such as partial nephrectomy and transplantation.

Cytochrome c: A Multifunctional Protein Combining Conformational Rigidity with Flexibility

Cytochrome has served as a model system for studying redox reactions, protein folding, and more recently peroxidase activity induced by partial unfolding on membranes. This review illuminates some important aspects of the research on this biomolecule. The first part summarizes the results of structural analyses of its active site. Owing to heme-protein interactions the heme group is subject to both in-plane and out-of-plane deformations. The unfolding of the protein as discussed in detail in the second part of this review can be induced by changes of pH and temperature and most prominently by the addition of denaturing agents. Both the kinetic and thermodynamic folding and unfolding involve intermediate states with regard to all unfolding conditions. If allowed to sit at alkaline pH (11.5) for a week, the protein does not return to its folding state when the solvent is switched back to neutral pH. It rather adopts a misfolded state that is prone to aggregation via domain swapping. On the surface of cardiolipin containing liposomes, the protein can adopt a variety of partially unfolded states. Apparently, ferricytochrome c can perform biological functions even if it is only partially folded.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress in aging and healthspan

The free radical theory of aging proposes that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced accumulation of damage to cellular macromolecules is a primary driving force of aging and a major determinant of lifespan. Although this theory is one of the most popular explanations for the cause of aging, several experimental rodent models of antioxidant manipulation have failed to affect lifespan. Moreover, antioxidant supplementation clinical trials have been largely disappointing. The mitochondrial theory of aging specifies more particularly that mitochondria are both the primary sources of ROS and the primary targets of ROS damage. In addition to effects on lifespan and aging, mitochondrial ROS have been shown to play a central role in healthspan of many vital organ systems. In this article we review the evidence supporting the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and dysfunction in aging and healthspan, including cardiac aging, age-dependent cardiovascular diseases, skeletal muscle aging, neurodegenerative diseases, insulin resistance and diabetes as well as age-related cancers. The crosstalk of mitochondrial ROS, redox, and other cellular signaling is briefly presented. Potential therapeutic strategies to improve mitochondrial function in aging and healthspan are reviewed, with a focus on mitochondrial protective drugs, such as the mitochondrial antioxidants MitoQ, SkQ1, and the mitochondrial protective peptide SS-31.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress in aging and healthspan

The free radical theory of aging proposes that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced accumulation of damage to cellular macromolecules is a primary driving force of aging and a major determinant of lifespan. Although this theory is one of the most popular explanations for the cause of aging, several experimental rodent models of antioxidant manipulation have failed to affect lifespan. Moreover, antioxidant supplementation clinical trials have been largely disappointing. The mitochondrial theory of aging specifies more particularly that mitochondria are both the primary sources of ROS and the primary targets of ROS damage. In addition to effects on lifespan and aging, mitochondrial ROS have been shown to play a central role in healthspan of many vital organ systems. In this article we review the evidence supporting the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and dysfunction in aging and healthspan, including cardiac aging, age-dependent cardiovascular diseases, skeletal muscle aging, neurodegenerative diseases, insulin resistance and diabetes as well as age-related cancers. The crosstalk of mitochondrial ROS, redox, and other cellular signaling is briefly presented. Potential therapeutic strategies to improve mitochondrial function in aging and healthspan are reviewed, with a focus on mitochondrial protective drugs, such as the mitochondrial antioxidants MitoQ, SkQ1, and the mitochondrial protective peptide SS-31.

Targeting mitochondrial cardiolipin and the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex to promote electron transport and optimize mitochondrial ATP synthesis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Cardiolipin plays an important role in mitochondrial respiration and cardiolipin peroxidation is associated with age-related diseases. Hydrophobic interactions between cytochrome c and cardiolipin converts cytochrome c from an electron carrier to a peroxidase. In addition to cardiolipin peroxidation, this impedes electron flux and inhibits mitochondrial ATP synthesis. SS-31 (D-Arg-dimethylTyr-Lys-Phe-NH2 ) selectively binds to cardiolipin and inhibits cytochrome c peroxidase activity. Here, we examined whether SS-31 also protected the electron carrier function of cytochrome c.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Interactions of SS-31 with cardiolipin were studied using liposomes and bicelles containing phosphatidylcholine alone or with cardiolipin. Structural interactions were assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy, turbidity and nuclear magnetic resonance. Effects of cardiolipin on electron transfer kinetics of cytochrome c were determined by cytochrome c reduction in vitro and oxygen consumption using mitoplasts, frozen and fresh mitochondria.

KEY RESULTS

SS-31 interacted only with liposomes and bicelles containing cardiolipin in about 1:1 ratio. NMR studies demonstrated that the aromatic residues of SS-31 penetrated deep into cardiolipin-containing bilayers. SS-31 restored cytochrome c reduction and mitochondrial oxygen consumption in the presence of added cardiolipin. In fresh mitochondria, SS-31 increased state 3 respiration and efficiency of ATP synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

SS-31 selectively targeted cardiolipin and modulated its interaction with cytochrome c. SS-31 inhibited the cytochrome c/cardiolipin complex peroxidase activity while protecting its ability to serve as an electron carrier, thus optimizing mitochondrial electron transport and ATP synthesis. This novel class of cardiolipin therapeutics has the potential to restore mitochondrial bioenergetics for treatment of numerous age-related diseases.

Superior fluorescent probe for detection of cardiolipin

Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique phospholipid found in mitochondrial inner membrane. It is a key component for mitochondrial function in both respiration and apoptosis. The level of CL is an important parameter for investigating these intracellular events and is a critical indicator of a number of diseases associated with mitochondrial respiratory functions. 10-Nonyl acridine orange (NAO) is the only fluorescent dye currently available for CL detection. However, the performance of NAO is far from satisfactory in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. In this work, we report an aggregation-induced emission-active fluorogen, TTAPE-Me, for CL detection and quantification. With improved sensitivity and excellent selectivity to CL over other major mitochondrial membrane lipids, TTAPE-Me could serve as a valuable fluorescent sensor for CL quantification. The use of TTAPE-Me for the quantification of isolated mitochondria is also demonstrated.

Structural transformations of cytochrome c upon interaction with cardiolipin

Interactions of cytochrome c (cyt c) with cardiolipin (CL) play a critical role in early stages of apoptosis. Upon binding to CL, cyt c undergoes changes in secondary and tertiary structure that lead to a dramatic increase in its peroxidase activity. Insertion of the protein into membranes, insertion of CL acyl chains into the protein interior, and extensive unfolding of cyt c after adsorption to the membrane have been proposed as possible modes for interaction of cyt c with CL. Dissociation of Met80 is accompanied by opening of the heme crevice and binding of another heme ligand. Fluorescence studies have revealed conformational heterogeneity of the lipid-bound protein ensemble with distinct polypeptide conformations that vary in the degree of protein unfolding. We correlate these recent findings to other biophysical observations and rationalize the role of experimental conditions in defining conformational properties and peroxidase activity of the cyt c ensemble. Latest time-resolved studies propose the trigger and the sequence of cardiolipin-induced structural transitions of cyt c.

Structure and function of heme proteins in non-native states: a mini-review

Heme proteins perform various biological functions ranging from electron transfer, oxygen binding and transport, catalysis, to signaling. Although adopting proper native states is very important for these functions, progresses in representative heme proteins, including cytochrome c (cyt c), cytochrome b5 (cyt b5), myoglobin (Mb), neuroglobin (Ngb), cytochrome P450 (CYP) and heme-based sensor proteins such as CO sensor CooA, showed that various native functions, or new functions evolved, are also closely associated with non-native states. The structure and function relationship of heme proteins in non-native states is thus as important as that in native states for elucidating the precise roles of heme proteins in biological systems.

Becoming a peroxidase: cardiolipin-induced unfolding of cytochrome c

Interactions of cytochrome c (cyt c) with a unique mitochondrial glycerophospholipid cardiolipin (CL) are relevant for the protein's function in oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis. Binding to CL-containing membranes promotes cyt c unfolding and dramatically enhances the protein's peroxidase activity, which is critical in early stages of apoptosis. We have employed a collection of seven dansyl variants of horse heart cyt c to probe the sequence of steps in this functional transformation. Kinetic measurements have unraveled four distinct processes during CL-induced cyt c unfolding: rapid protein binding to CL liposomes; rearrangements of protein substructures with small unfolding energies; partial insertion of the protein into the lipid bilayer; and extensive protein restructuring leading to "open" extended structures. While early rearrangements depend on a hierarchy of foldons in the native structure, the later process of large-scale unfolding is influenced by protein interactions with the membrane surface. The opening of the cyt c structure exposes the heme group, which enhances the protein's peroxidase activity and also frees the C-terminal helix to aid in the translocation of the protein through CL membranes.