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He Z, Tu YC, Tsai CW, Mount J, Zhang J, Tsai MF, Yuan P. Structure and function of the human mitochondrial MRS2 channel. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.12.553106. [PMID: 37645897 PMCID: PMC10462007 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.12.553106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The human Mitochondrial RNA Splicing 2 protein (MRS2) has been implicated in Mg2+ transport across mitochondrial inner membranes, thus playing an important role in Mg2+ homeostasis critical for mitochondrial integrity and function. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its fundamental channel properties such as ion selectivity and regulation remain unclear. Here, we present structural and functional investigation of MRS2. Cryo-electron microscopy structures in various ionic conditions reveal a pentameric channel architecture and the molecular basis of ion permeation and potential regulation mechanisms. Electrophysiological analyses demonstrate that MRS2 is a Ca2+-regulated, non-selective channel permeable to Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+ and K+, which contrasts with its prokaryotic ortholog, CorA, operating as a Mg2+-gated Mg2+ channel. Moreover, a conserved arginine ring within the pore of MRS2 functions to restrict cation movements, likely preventing the channel from collapsing the proton motive force that drives mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Together, our results provide a molecular framework for further understanding MRS2 in mitochondrial function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui He
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Yung-Chi Tu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Chen-Wei Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jonathan Mount
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Peng Yuan
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Tu YC, Chao FY, Tsai MF. Mechanisms of dual modulatory effects of spermine on the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543936. [PMID: 37333420 PMCID: PMC10274775 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The mitochondrial Ca 2 + uniporter mediates the crucial cellular process of mitochondrial Ca 2 + uptake, which regulates cell bioenergetics, intracellular Ca 2 + signaling, and cell death initiation. The uniporter contains the pore-forming MCU subunit, an EMRE protein that binds to MCU, and the regulatory MICU1 subunit, which can dimerize with MICU1 or MICU2 and under resting cellular [Ca 2 + ] occludes the MCU pore. It has been known for decades that spermine, which is ubiquitously present in animal cells, can enhance mitochondrial Ca 2 + uptake, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that spermine exerts dual modulatory effects on the uniporter. In physiological concentrations of spermine, it enhances uniporter activity by breaking the physical interactions between MCU and the MICU1-containing dimers to allow the uniporter to constitutively take up Ca 2 + even in low [Ca 2 + ] conditions. This potentiation effect does not require MICU2 or the EF-hand motifs in MICU1. When [spermine] rises to millimolar levels, it inhibits the uniporter by targeting the pore region in a MICU-independent manner. The MICU1-dependent spermine potentiation mechanism proposed here, along with our previous finding that cardiac mitochondria have very low MICU1, can explain the puzzling observation in the literature that mitochondria in the heart show no response to spermine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Chi Tu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Fan-Yi Chao
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
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3
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Tsai CW, Liu TY, Chao FY, Tu YC, Rodriguez MX, Van Keuren AM, Ma Z, Bankston J, Tsai MF. Evidence supporting the MICU1 occlusion mechanism and against the potentiation model in the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217665120. [PMID: 37036971 PMCID: PMC10120041 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217665120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a Ca2+ channel that imports cytoplasmic Ca2+ into the mitochondrial matrix to regulate cell bioenergetics, intracellular Ca2+ signaling, and apoptosis. The uniporter contains the pore-forming MCU subunit, an auxiliary EMRE protein, and the regulatory MICU1/MICU2 subunits. Structural and biochemical studies have suggested that MICU1 gates MCU by blocking/unblocking the pore. However, mitoplast patch-clamp experiments argue that MICU1 does not block, but instead potentiates MCU via allosteric mechanisms. Here, we address this direct clash of the proposed MICU1 function. Supporting the MICU1-occlusion mechanism, patch-clamp demonstrates that purified MICU1 strongly suppresses MCU Ca2+ currents, and this inhibition is abolished by mutating the MCU-interacting K126 residue. Moreover, a membrane-depolarization assay shows that MICU1 prevents MCU-mediated Na+ flux into intact mitochondria under Ca2+-free conditions. Examining the observations underlying the potentiation model, we found that MICU1 occlusion was not detected in mitoplasts not because MICU1 cannot block, but because MICU1 dissociates from the uniporter complex. Furthermore, MICU1 depletion reduces uniporter transport not because MICU1 can potentiate MCU, but because EMRE is down-regulated. These results firmly establish the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiologically crucial process of uniporter regulation by MICU1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Wei Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Tsung-Yun Liu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Fan-Yi Chao
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Yung-Chi Tu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Madison X. Rodriguez
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Anna M. Van Keuren
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Zhiwei Ma
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO65211
| | - John Bankston
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO80045
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4
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Delgado BD, Long SB. Mechanisms of ion selectivity and throughput in the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eade1516. [PMID: 36525497 PMCID: PMC9757755 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade1516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter, which regulates aerobic metabolism by catalyzing mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, is arguably the most selective ion channel known. The mechanisms for this exquisite Ca2+ selectivity have not been defined. Here, using a reconstituted system, we study the electrical properties of the channel's minimal Ca2+-conducting complex, MCU-EMRE, from Tribolium castaneum to probe ion selectivity mechanisms. The wild-type TcMCU-EMRE complex recapitulates hallmark electrophysiological properties of endogenous Uniporter channels. Through interrogation of pore-lining mutants, we find that a ring of glutamate residues, the "E-locus," serves as the channel's selectivity filter. Unexpectedly, a nearby "D-locus" at the mouth of the pore has diminutive influence on selectivity. Anomalous mole fraction effects indicate that multiple Ca2+ ions are accommodated within the E-locus. By facilitating ion-ion interactions, the E-locus engenders both exquisite Ca2+ selectivity and high ion throughput. Direct comparison with structural information yields the basis for selective Ca2+ conduction by the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce D. Delgado
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Molecular Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephen B. Long
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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5
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Tsai CW, Rodriguez MX, Van Keuren AM, Phillips CB, Shushunov HM, Lee JE, Garcia AM, Ambardekar AV, Cleveland JC, Reisz JA, Proenza C, Chatfield KC, Tsai MF. Mechanisms and significance of tissue-specific MICU regulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex. Mol Cell 2022; 82:3661-3676.e8. [PMID: 36206740 PMCID: PMC9557913 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, mediated by the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter, regulates oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, and intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Previous studies suggest that non-neuronal uniporters are exclusively regulated by a MICU1-MICU2 heterodimer. Here, we show that skeletal-muscle and kidney uniporters also complex with a MICU1-MICU1 homodimer and that human/mouse cardiac uniporters are largely devoid of MICUs. Cells employ protein-importation machineries to fine-tune the relative abundance of MICU1 homo- and heterodimers and utilize a conserved MICU intersubunit disulfide to protect properly assembled dimers from proteolysis by YME1L1. Using the MICU1 homodimer or removing MICU1 allows mitochondria to more readily take up Ca2+ so that cells can produce more ATP in response to intracellular Ca2+ transients. However, the trade-off is elevated ROS, impaired basal metabolism, and higher susceptibility to death. These results provide mechanistic insights into how tissues can manipulate mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake properties to support their unique physiological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Wei Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Madison X Rodriguez
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anna M Van Keuren
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Charles B Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hannah M Shushunov
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jessica E Lee
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anastacia M Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Amrut V Ambardekar
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joseph C Cleveland
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Julie A Reisz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Catherine Proenza
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kathryn C Chatfield
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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6
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Garbincius JF, Elrod JW. Mitochondrial calcium exchange in physiology and disease. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:893-992. [PMID: 34698550 PMCID: PMC8816638 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00041.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The uptake of calcium into and extrusion of calcium from the mitochondrial matrix is a fundamental biological process that has critical effects on cellular metabolism, signaling, and survival. Disruption of mitochondrial calcium (mCa2+) cycling is implicated in numerous acquired diseases such as heart failure, stroke, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and cancer and is genetically linked to several inherited neuromuscular disorders. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for mCa2+ exchange therefore holds great promise for the treatment of these diseases. The past decade has seen the genetic identification of many of the key proteins that mediate mitochondrial calcium uptake and efflux. Here, we present an overview of the phenomenon of mCa2+ transport and a comprehensive examination of the molecular machinery that mediates calcium flux across the inner mitochondrial membrane: the mitochondrial uniporter complex (consisting of MCU, EMRE, MICU1, MICU2, MICU3, MCUB, and MCUR1), NCLX, LETM1, the mitochondrial ryanodine receptor, and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. We then consider the physiological implications of mCa2+ flux and evaluate how alterations in mCa2+ homeostasis contribute to human disease. This review concludes by highlighting opportunities and challenges for therapeutic intervention in pathologies characterized by aberrant mCa2+ handling and by summarizing critical unanswered questions regarding the biology of mCa2+ flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne F Garbincius
- Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - John W Elrod
- Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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7
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Quantitative assays to measure the transport activity of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter in cell lines or Xenopus oocytes. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100979. [PMID: 34877549 PMCID: PMC8633362 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter, which mediates mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, regulates key cellular functions, including intracellular Ca2+ signaling, cell-fate determination, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Here, we describe two complementary strategies to quantify the uniporter's transport activity. First, we detail a mitochondrial Ca2+ radionuclide uptake assay in cultured cell lines. Second, we describe electrophysiological recordings of the uniporter expressed in Xenopus oocytes. These approaches enable a detailed kinetic analysis of the uniporter to link its molecular properties to physiological functions. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tsai and Tsai (2018) and Phillips et al. (2019).
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8
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Wang F, Fan LH, Li A, Dong F, Hou Y, Schatten H, Sun QY, Ou XH. Effects of various calcium transporters on mitochondrial Ca 2+ changes and oocyte maturation. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236:6548-6558. [PMID: 33704771 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Ca2+ participates in many important cellular processes, but the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood, especially during oocyte maturation. First, we confirmed that calcium in the culture medium was essential for oocyte maturation. Next, various inhibitors of Ca2+ channels were applied to investigate their roles in mitochondrial Ca2+ changes and oocyte maturation. Our results showed that Trmp7, Orai, T-type Ca2+ channels and Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger complex (NCLX) were important for oocyte maturation. Trmp7 inhibition delayed germinal vesicle breakdown. Orai and NCLX inhibition significantly weakened the distribution of mitochondrial Ca2+ around the nucleus compared to the Ctrl group. Interestingly, even T-type Ca2+ channels-specific inhibitor Mibefradil blocked germinal vesicle breakdown; mitochondrial Ca2+ surrounding the nucleus still was maintained at a high level without spindle formation. Two calcium transporter inhibitors, Thapsigargin and Ruthenium Red, which have been confirmed to inhibit oocyte activation, did not significantly affect oocyte maturation. Increasing the knowledge of calcium transport may provide a basis to build on for improving oocyte in vitro maturation in human assisted reproduction clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Hua Fan
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Heide Schatten
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Qing-Yuan Sun
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Hong Ou
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Woods JJ, Rodriguez MX, Tsai CW, Tsai MF, Wilson JJ. Cobalt amine complexes and Ru265 interact with the DIME region of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:6161-6164. [PMID: 34042919 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc01623g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
We report our investigation into the MCU-inhibitory activity of Co3+ complexes in comparison to Ru265. These compounds reversibly inhibit the MCU with nanomolar potency. Mutagenesis studies and molecular docking simulations suggest that the complexes operate through interactions with the DIME motif of the MCU pore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Woods
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. and Robert F. Smith School for Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Madison X Rodriguez
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Chen-Wei Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Justin J Wilson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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10
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Mechanisms of EMRE-Dependent MCU Opening in the Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Complex. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108486. [PMID: 33296646 PMCID: PMC7764451 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a multi-subunit Ca2+-activated Ca2+ channel, made up of the pore-forming MCU protein, a metazoan-specific EMRE subunit, and MICU1/MICU2, which mediate Ca2+ activation. It has been established that metazoan MCU requires EMRE binding to conduct Ca2+, but how EMRE promotes MCU opening remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that EMRE controls MCU activity via its transmembrane helix, while using an N-terminal PKP motif to strengthen binding with MCU. Opening of MCU requires hydrophobic interactions mediated by MCU residues near the pore’s luminal end. Enhancing these interactions by single mutation allows human MCU to transport Ca2+ without EMRE. We further show that EMRE may facilitate MCU opening by stabilizing the open state in a conserved MCU gating mechanism, present also in non-metazoan MCU homologs. These results provide insights into the evolution of the uniporter machinery and elucidate the mechanism underlying the physiologically crucial EMRE-dependent MCU activation process. The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a multi-subunit ion channel that imports cytoplasmic Ca2+ into mitochondria to regulate cell energy production and death. In this work, Van Keuren et al. report a key activation mechanism of the uniporter, mediated by an auxiliary EMRE subunit in the channel complex.
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11
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Wang F, Li A, Li QN, Fan LH, Wang ZB, Meng TG, Hou Y, Schatten H, Sun QY, Ou XH. Effects of mitochondria-associated Ca 2+ transporters suppression on oocyte activation. Cell Biochem Funct 2020; 39:248-257. [PMID: 32643225 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Oocyte activation deficiency leads to female infertility. [Ca2+ ]i oscillations are required for mitochondrial energy supplement transition from the resting to the excited state, but the underlying mechanisms are still very little known. Three mitochondrial Ca2+ channels, Mitochondria Calcium Uniporter (MCU), Na+ /Ca2+ Exchanger (NCLX) and Voltage-dependent Ca2+ Channel (VDAC), were deactivated by inhibitors RU360, CGP37157 and Erastin, respectively. Both Erastin and CGP37157 inhibited mitochondrial activity significantly while attenuating [Ca2+ ]i and [Ca2+ ]m oscillations, which caused developmental block of pronuclear formation. Thus, NCLX and VDAC are two mitochondria-associated Ca2+ transporter proteins regulating oocyte activation, which may be used as potential targets to treat female infertility. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: NCLX and VDAC are two mitochondria-associated Ca2+ transporter proteins regulating oocyte activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian-Nan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Hua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen-Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tie-Gang Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Heide Schatten
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Qing-Yuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Hong Ou
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Tarasova NV, Vishnyakova PA, Logashina YA, Elchaninov AV. Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Structure and Function in Different Types of Muscle Tissues in Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20194823. [PMID: 31569359 PMCID: PMC6801532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium ions (Ca2+) influx to mitochondrial matrix is crucial for the life of a cell. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter (mtCU) is a protein complex which consists of the pore-forming subunit (MCU) and several regulatory subunits. MtCU is the main contributor to inward Ca2+ currents through the inner mitochondrial membrane. Extensive investigations of mtCU involvement into normal and pathological molecular pathways started from the moment of discovery of its molecular components. A crucial role of mtCU in the control of these pathways is now recognized in both health and disease. In particular, impairments of mtCU function have been demonstrated for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle-associated pathologies. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on mtCU structure, regulation, and function in different types of muscle tissues in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezhda V Tarasova
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trubetskaya str. 8, bld. 2, Moscow 119991, Russia.
| | - Polina A Vishnyakova
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Street, Moscow 117997, Russia.
| | - Yulia A Logashina
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trubetskaya str. 8, bld. 2, Moscow 119991, Russia.
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia.
| | - Andrey V Elchaninov
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 4 Oparina Street, Moscow 117997, Russia.
- Scientific Research Institute of Human Morphology, 3 Tsurupa Street, Moscow 117418, Russia.
- Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, Moscow 117198, Russia.
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13
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Phillips CB, Tsai CW, Tsai MF. The conserved aspartate ring of MCU mediates MICU1 binding and regulation in the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex. eLife 2019; 8:41112. [PMID: 30638448 PMCID: PMC6347451 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a Ca2+ channel that regulates intracellular Ca2+ signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, and apoptosis. It contains the pore-forming MCU protein, which possesses a DIME sequence thought to form a Ca2+ selectivity filter, and also regulatory EMRE, MICU1, and MICU2 subunits. To properly carry out physiological functions, the uniporter must stay closed in resting conditions, becoming open only when stimulated by intracellular Ca2+ signals. This Ca2+-dependent activation, known to be mediated by MICU subunits, is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that the DIME-aspartate mediates a Ca2+-modulated electrostatic interaction with MICU1, forming an MICU1 contact interface with a nearby Ser residue at the cytoplasmic entrance of the MCU pore. A mutagenesis screen of MICU1 identifies two highly-conserved Arg residues that might contact the DIME-Asp. Perturbing MCU-MICU1 interactions elicits unregulated, constitutive Ca2+ flux into mitochondria. These results indicate that MICU1 confers Ca2+-dependent gating of the uniporter by blocking/unblocking MCU.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chen-Wei Tsai
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, United States
| | - Ming-Feng Tsai
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, United States
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