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García-Guerrero AE, Marvin RG, Blackwell AM, Sigala PA. Biogenesis of cytochromes c and c 1 in the electron transport chain of malaria parasites. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.575742. [PMID: 38352463 PMCID: PMC10862854 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.575742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Plasmodium malaria parasites retain an essential mitochondrional electron transport chain (ETC) that is critical for growth within humans and mosquitoes and a key antimalarial drug target. ETC function requires cytochromes c and c 1 that are unusual among heme proteins due to their covalent binding to heme via conserved CXXCH sequence motifs. Heme attachment to these proteins in most eukaryotes requires the mitochondrial enzyme holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) that binds heme and the apo cytochrome to facilitate biogenesis of the mature cytochrome c or c 1. Although humans encode a single bifunctional HCCS that attaches heme to both proteins, Plasmodium parasites are like yeast and encode two separate HCCS homologs thought to be specific for heme attachment to cyt c (HCCS) or cyt c 1 (HCC1S). To test the function and specificity of P. falciparum HCCS and HCC1S, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to tag both genes for conditional expression. HCC1S knockdown selectively impaired cyt c 1 biogenesis and caused lethal ETC dysfunction that was not reversed by over-expression of HCCS. Knockdown of HCCS caused a more modest growth defect but strongly sensitized parasites to mitochondrial depolarization by proguanil, revealing key defects in ETC function. These results and prior heterologous studies in E. coli of cyt c hemylation by P. falciparum HCCS and HCC1S strongly suggest that both homologs are essential for mitochondrial ETC function and have distinct specificities for biogenesis of cyt c and c 1, respectively, in parasites. This study lays a foundation to develop novel strategies to selectively block ETC function in malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca G. Marvin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Amanda Mixon Blackwell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Paul A. Sigala
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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2
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Li H, Akella S, Engstler C, Omini JJ, Rodriguez M, Obata T, Carrie C, Cerutti H, Mower JP. Recurrent evolutionary switches of mitochondrial cytochrome c maturation systems in Archaeplastida. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1548. [PMID: 38378784 PMCID: PMC10879542 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45813-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial cytochrome c maturation (CCM) requires heme attachment via distinct pathways termed systems I and III. The mosaic distribution of these systems in Archaeplastida raises questions about the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary forces promoting repeated evolution. Here, we show a recurrent shift from ancestral system I to the eukaryotic-specific holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) of system III in 11 archaeplastid lineages. Archaeplastid HCCS is sufficient to rescue mutants of yeast system III and Arabidopsis system I. Algal HCCS mutants exhibit impaired growth and respiration, and altered biochemical and metabolic profiles, likely resulting from deficient CCM and reduced cytochrome c-dependent respiratory activity. Our findings demonstrate that archaeplastid HCCS homologs function as system III components in the absence of system I. These results elucidate the evolutionary trajectory and functional divergence of CCM pathways in Archaeplastida, providing insight into the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of repeated cooption of an entire biological pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Li
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Soujanya Akella
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Carina Engstler
- Department Biologie I-Botanik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Joy J Omini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Moira Rodriguez
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Toshihiro Obata
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Chris Carrie
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Heriberto Cerutti
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Mower
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.
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3
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Genceroglu MY, Cavdar C, Manioglu S, Bayraktar H. Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Heme-Induced Conformational Changes in Cytochrome c. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:890. [PMID: 37754124 PMCID: PMC10526477 DOI: 10.3390/bios13090890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome c (Cytc) is a key redox protein for energy metabolism and apoptosis in cells. The activation of Cytc is composed of several steps, including its transfer to the mitochondrial membrane, binding to cytochrome c heme lyase (CCHL) and covalent attachment to heme. The spectroscopic methods are often applied to study the structural changes of Cytc. However, they require the isolation of Cytc from cells and have limited availability under physiological conditions. Despite recent studies to elucidate the tightly regulated folding mechanism of Cytc, the role of these events and their association with different conformational states remain elusive. Here, we provide a genetically encoded fluorescence method that allows monitoring of the conformational changes of Cytc upon binding to heme and CCHL. Cerulean and Venus fluorescent proteins attached at the N and C terminals of Cytc can be used to determine its unfolded, intermediate, and native states by measuring FRET amplitude. We found that the noncovalent interaction of heme in the absence of CCHL induced a shift in the FRET signal, indicating the formation of a partially folded state. The higher concentration of heme and coexpression of CCHL gave rise to the recovery of Cytc native structure. We also found that Cytc was weakly associated with CCHL in the absence of heme. As a result, a FRET-based fluorescence approach was demonstrated to elucidate the mechanism of heme-induced Cytc conformational changes with spatiotemporal resolution and can be applied to study its interaction with small molecules and other protein partners in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Yunus Genceroglu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34467, Turkey
| | - Cansu Cavdar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34467, Turkey
| | - Selen Manioglu
- Biomedical Science and Engineering Program, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
| | - Halil Bayraktar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34467, Turkey
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4
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Accurate interpretation of genetic variants in sudden unexpected death in infancy by trio-targeted gene-sequencing panel analysis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21532. [PMID: 34728707 PMCID: PMC8563990 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00962-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In sudden unexpected death in infancy cases, postmortem genetic analysis with next-generation sequencing potentially can extract candidate genes associated with sudden death. However, it is difficult to accurately interpret the clinically significant genetic variants. The study aim was to conduct trio analysis of cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy and their parents to more accurately interpret the clinically significant disease-associated gene variants associated with cause of death. From the TruSight One panel targeting 4813 genes we extracted candidate genetic variants of 66 arrhythmia-, 63 inherited metabolic disease-, 81 mitochondrial disease-, and 6 salt-losing tubulopathy-related genes in 7 cases and determined if they were de novo or parental-derived variants. Thirty-four parental-derived variants and no de novo variants were found, but none appeared to be related to the cause of death. Using trio analysis and an in silico algorithm to analyze all 4813 genes, we identified OBSCN of compound heterozygous and HCCS of hemizygous variants as new candidate genetic variants related to cause of death. Genetic analysis of these deceased infants and their living parents can provide more accurate interpretation of the clinically significant genetic variants than previously possible and help confirm the cause of death.
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van Esveld SL, Meerstein‐Kessel L, Boshoven C, Baaij JF, Barylyuk K, Coolen JPM, van Strien J, Duim RAJ, Dutilh BE, Garza DR, Letterie M, Proellochs NI, de Ridder MN, Venkatasubramanian PB, de Vries LE, Waller RF, Kooij TWA, Huynen MA. A Prioritized and Validated Resource of Mitochondrial Proteins in Plasmodium Identifies Unique Biology. mSphere 2021; 6:e0061421. [PMID: 34494883 PMCID: PMC8550323 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00614-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium species have a single mitochondrion that is essential for their survival and has been successfully targeted by antimalarial drugs. Most mitochondrial proteins are imported into this organelle, and our picture of the Plasmodium mitochondrial proteome remains incomplete. Many data sources contain information about mitochondrial localization, including proteome and gene expression profiles, orthology to mitochondrial proteins from other species, coevolutionary relationships, and amino acid sequences, each with different coverage and reliability. To obtain a comprehensive, prioritized list of Plasmodium falciparum mitochondrial proteins, we rigorously analyzed and integrated eight data sets using Bayesian statistics into a predictive score per protein for mitochondrial localization. At a corrected false discovery rate of 25%, we identified 445 proteins with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 97%. They include proteins that have not been identified as mitochondrial in other eukaryotes but have characterized homologs in bacteria that are involved in metabolism or translation. Mitochondrial localization of seven Plasmodium berghei orthologs was confirmed by epitope labeling and colocalization with a mitochondrial marker protein. One of these belongs to a newly identified apicomplexan mitochondrial protein family that in P. falciparum has four members. With the experimentally validated mitochondrial proteins and the complete ranked P. falciparum proteome, which we have named PlasmoMitoCarta, we present a resource to study unique proteins of Plasmodium mitochondria. IMPORTANCE The unique biology and medical relevance of the mitochondrion of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have made it the subject of many studies. However, we actually do not have a comprehensive assessment of which proteins reside in this organelle. Many omics data are available that are predictive of mitochondrial localization, such as proteomics data and expression data. Individual data sets are, however, rarely complete and can provide conflicting evidence. We integrated a wide variety of available omics data in a manner that exploits the relative strengths of the data sets. Our analysis gave a predictive score for the mitochondrial localization to each nuclear encoded P. falciparum protein and identified 445 likely mitochondrial proteins. We experimentally validated the mitochondrial localization of seven of the new mitochondrial proteins, confirming the quality of the complete list. These include proteins that have not been observed mitochondria before, adding unique mitochondrial functions to P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma L. van Esveld
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial Medicine, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Lisette Meerstein‐Kessel
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Cas Boshoven
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jochem F. Baaij
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Konstantin Barylyuk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jordy P. M. Coolen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Joeri van Strien
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald A. J. Duim
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bas E. Dutilh
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Science for Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Daniel R. Garza
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology (Rega Institute), Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marijn Letterie
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nicholas I. Proellochs
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle N. de Ridder
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Laura E. de Vries
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ross F. Waller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Taco W. A. Kooij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn A. Huynen
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial Medicine, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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6
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Abstract
In eukaryotes, heme attachment through two thioether bonds to mitochondrial cytochromes c and c1 is catalyzed by either multisubunit cytochrome c maturation system I or holocytochrome c synthetase (HCCS). The former was inherited from the alphaproteobacterial progenitor of mitochondria; the latter is a eukaryotic innovation for which prokaryotic ancestry is not evident. HCCS provides one of a few exemplars of de novo protein innovation in eukaryotes, but structure-function insight of HCCS is limited. Uniquely, euglenozoan protists, which include medically relevant kinetoplastids Trypanosoma and Leishmania parasites, attach heme to mitochondrial c-type cytochromes by a single thioether linkage. Yet the mechanism is unknown, as genes encoding proteins with detectable similarity to any proteins involved in cytochrome c maturation in other taxa are absent. Here, a bioinformatics search for proteins conserved in all hemoprotein-containing kinetoplastids identified kinetoplastid cytochrome c synthetase (KCCS), which we reveal as essential and mitochondrial and catalyzes heme attachment to trypanosome cytochrome c. KCCS has no sequence identity to other proteins, apart from a slight resemblance within four short motifs suggesting relatedness to HCCS. Thus, KCCS provides a novel resource for studying eukaryotic cytochrome c maturation, possibly with wider relevance, since mutations in human HCCS leads to disease. Moreover, many examples of mitochondrial biochemistry are different in euglenozoans compared to many other eukaryotes; identification of KCCS thus provides another exemplar of extreme, unusual mitochondrial biochemistry in an evolutionarily divergent group of protists.
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7
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Swenson SA, Moore CM, Marcero JR, Medlock AE, Reddi AR, Khalimonchuk O. From Synthesis to Utilization: The Ins and Outs of Mitochondrial Heme. Cells 2020; 9:E579. [PMID: 32121449 PMCID: PMC7140478 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme is a ubiquitous and essential iron containing metallo-organic cofactor required for virtually all aerobic life. Heme synthesis is initiated and completed in mitochondria, followed by certain covalent modifications and/or its delivery to apo-hemoproteins residing throughout the cell. While the biochemical aspects of heme biosynthetic reactions are well understood, the trafficking of newly synthesized heme-a highly reactive and inherently toxic compound-and its subsequent delivery to target proteins remain far from clear. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about heme biosynthesis and trafficking within and outside of the mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Courtney M. Moore
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
| | - Jason R. Marcero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Amy E. Medlock
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Amit R. Reddi
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
- Parker Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Oleh Khalimonchuk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA;
- Nebraska Redox Biology Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA
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8
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Alvarez-Paggi D, Hannibal L, Castro MA, Oviedo-Rouco S, Demicheli V, Tórtora V, Tomasina F, Radi R, Murgida DH. Multifunctional Cytochrome c: Learning New Tricks from an Old Dog. Chem Rev 2017; 117:13382-13460. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Damián Alvarez-Paggi
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química
Física and INQUIMAE (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas
y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. 2, piso 1, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Luciana Hannibal
- Department
of Pediatrics, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Mathildenstrasse 1, Freiburg 79106, Germany
- Departamento
de Bioquímica and Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av.
Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - María A. Castro
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química
Física and INQUIMAE (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas
y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. 2, piso 1, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Santiago Oviedo-Rouco
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química
Física and INQUIMAE (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas
y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. 2, piso 1, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Veronica Demicheli
- Departamento
de Bioquímica and Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av.
Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - Veronica Tórtora
- Departamento
de Bioquímica and Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av.
Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Tomasina
- Departamento
de Bioquímica and Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av.
Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - Rafael Radi
- Departamento
de Bioquímica and Center for Free Radical and Biomedical Research,
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Av.
Gral. Flores 2125, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay
| | - Daniel H. Murgida
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química
Física and INQUIMAE (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas
y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. 2, piso 1, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
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9
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Babbitt SE, Hsu J, Mendez DL, Kranz RG. Biosynthesis of Single Thioether c-Type Cytochromes Provides Insight into Mechanisms Intrinsic to Holocytochrome c Synthase (HCCS). Biochemistry 2017; 56:3337-3346. [PMID: 28617588 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
C-type cytochromes (cyts c) are generally characterized by the presence of two thioether attachments between heme and two cysteine residues within a highly conserved CXXCH motif. Most eukaryotes use the System III cyt c biogenesis pathway composed of holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) to catalyze thioether formation. Some protozoan organisms express a functionally equivalent, natural variant of cyt c with an XXXCH heme-attachment motif, resulting in a single covalent attachment. Previous studies have shown that recombinant HCCS can produce low levels of the XXXCH single thioether variant. However, cyt c variants containing substitutions at the C-terminal cysteine of the heme-attachment site (i.e., resulting in CXXXH) have never been observed in nature, and attempts to biosynthesize a recombinant version of this cyt c variant have been largely unsuccessful. In this study, we report the biochemical analyses of an HCCS-matured CXXXH cyt c variant, comparing its biosynthesis and properties to those of the XXXCH variant. The results indicate that although HCCS mediates heme attachment to the N-terminal cysteine in CXXXH cyt c variants, up to 50% of the cyt c produced is modified in an oxygen-dependent manner, resulting in a mixed population of cyt c. Since this aerobic modification occurs only in the context of CXXXH, we also propose that natural HCCS-mediated heme attachment to CXXCH likely initiates at the C-terminal cysteine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalon E Babbitt
- Department of Biology, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Jennifer Hsu
- Department of Biology, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Deanna L Mendez
- Department of Biology, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Robert G Kranz
- Department of Biology, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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10
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Engineered holocytochrome c synthases that biosynthesize new cytochromes c. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:2235-2240. [PMID: 28196881 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1615929114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome c (cyt c), required for electron transport in mitochondria, possesses a covalently attached heme cofactor. Attachment is catalyzed by holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS), leading to two thioether bonds between heme and a conserved CXXCH motif of cyt c In cyt c, histidine (His19) of CXXCH acts as an axial ligand to heme iron and upon release of holocytochrome c from HCCS, folding leads to formation of a second axial interaction with methionine (Met81). We previously discovered mutations in human HCCS that facilitate increased biosynthesis of cyt c in recombinant Escherichia coli Focusing on HCCS E159A, novel cyt c variants in quantities that are sufficient for biophysical analysis are biosynthesized. Cyt c H19M, the first bis-Met liganded cyt c, is compared with other axial ligand variants (M81A, M81H) and single thioether cyt c variants. For variants with axial ligand substitutions, electronic absorption, near-UV circular dichroism, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy provide evidence that axial ligands are changed and the heme environment is altered. Circular dichroism spectra in far UV and thermal denaturation analyses demonstrate that axial ligand changes do not affect secondary structures and stability. Redox potentials span a 400-mV range (+349 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode, H19M; +252 mV, WT; -19 mV, M81A; -69 mV, M81H). We discuss the results in the context of a four-step mechanism for HCCS, whereby HCCS mutants such as E159A are enhanced in release (step 4) of cyt c from the HCCS active site; thus, we term these "release mutants."
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11
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Babbitt SE, Hsu J, Kranz RG. Molecular Basis Behind Inability of Mitochondrial Holocytochrome c Synthase to Mature Bacterial Cytochromes: DEFINING A CRITICAL ROLE FOR CYTOCHROME c α HELIX-1. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:17523-34. [PMID: 27387500 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.741231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) is required for cytochrome c (cyt c) maturation and therefore respiration. HCCS efficiently attaches heme via two thioethers to CXXCH of mitochondrial but not bacterial cyt c even though they are functionally conserved. This inability is due to residues in the bacterial cyt c N terminus, but the molecular basis is unknown. Human cyts c with deletions of single residues in α helix-1, which mimic bacterial cyt c, are poorly matured by human HCCS. Focusing on ΔM13 cyt c, we co-purified this variant with HCCS, demonstrating that HCCS recognizes the bacterial-like cytochrome. Although an HCCS-WT cyt c complex contains two covalent links, HCCS-ΔM13 cyt c contains only one thioether attachment. Using multiple approaches, we show that the single attachment is to the second thiol of C(15)SQC(18)H, indicating that α helix-1 is required for positioning the first cysteine for covalent attachment, whereas the histidine of CXXCH positions the second cysteine. Modeling of the N-terminal structure suggested that the serine residue (of CSQCH) would be anchored where the first cysteine should be in ΔM13 cyt c An engineered cyt c with a CQCH motif in the ΔM13 background is matured at higher levels (2-3-fold), providing further evidence for α helix-1 positioning the first cysteine. Bacterial cyt c biogenesis pathways (Systems I and II) appear to recognize simply the CXXCH motif, not requiring α helix-1. Results here explain mechanistically how HCCS (System III) requires an extended region adjacent to CXXCH for maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalon E Babbitt
- From the Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Jennifer Hsu
- From the Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Robert G Kranz
- From the Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
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12
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Babbitt SE, Sutherland MC, San Francisco B, Mendez DL, Kranz RG. Mitochondrial cytochrome c biogenesis: no longer an enigma. Trends Biochem Sci 2015; 40:446-55. [PMID: 26073510 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cytochromes c (cyt c) and c1 are heme proteins that are essential for aerobic respiration. Release of cyt c from mitochondria is an important signal in apoptosis initiation. Biogenesis of c-type cytochromes involves covalent attachment of heme to two cysteines (at a conserved CXXCH sequence) in the apocytochrome. Heme attachment is catalyzed in most mitochondria by holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS), which is also necessary for the import of apocytochrome c (apocyt c). Thus, HCCS affects cellular levels of cyt c, impacting mitochondrial physiology and cell death. Here, we review the mechanisms of HCCS function and the roles of heme and residues in the CXXCH motif. Additionally, we consider concepts emerging within the two prokaryotic cytochrome c biogenesis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalon E Babbitt
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | | | | | - Deanna L Mendez
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Robert G Kranz
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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