Impaired F1Fo-ATP-Synthase Dimerization Leads to the Induction of Cyclophilin D-Mediated Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death and Accelerated Aging

Impact of Mitochondrial Architecture, Function, Redox Homeostasis, and Quality Control on Organismic Aging: Lessons from a Fungal Model System

Significance: Mitochondria are eukaryotic organelles with various essential functions. They are both the source and the targets of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Different branches of a mitochondrial quality control system (mQCS), such as ROS balancing, degradation of damaged proteins, or whole mitochondria, can mitigate the adverse effects of ROS stress. However, the capacity of mQCS is limited. Overwhelming this capacity leads to dysfunctions and aging. Strategies to interfere into mitochondria-dependent human aging with the aim to increase the healthy period of life, the health span, rely on the precise knowledge of mitochondrial functions. Experimental models such as Podospora anserina, a filamentous fungus with a clear mitochondrial aging etiology, proved to be instrumental to reach this goal. Recent Advances: Investigations of the P. anserina mQCS revealed that it is constituted by a complex network of different branches. Moreover, mitochondrial architecture and lipid homeostasis emerged to affect aging. Critical Issues: The regulation of the mQCS is only incompletely understood. Details about the involved signaling molecules and interacting pathways remain to be elucidated. Moreover, most of the currently generated experimental data were generated in well-controlled experiments that do not reflect the constantly changing natural life conditions and bear the danger to miss relevant aspects leading to incorrect conclusions. Future Directions: In P. anserina, the precise impact of redox signaling as well as of molecular damaging for aging remains to be defined. Moreover, natural fluctuation of environmental conditions needs to be considered to generate a realistic picture of aging mechanisms as they developed during evolution.

Mitochondrial Cristae Morphology Reflecting Metabolism, Superoxide Formation, Redox Homeostasis, and Pathology

Significance: Mitochondrial (mt) reticulum network in the cell possesses amazing ultramorphology of parallel lamellar cristae, formed by the invaginated inner mitochondrial membrane. Its non-invaginated part, the inner boundary membrane (IBM) forms a cylindrical sandwich with the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). Crista membranes (CMs) meet IBM at crista junctions (CJs) of mt cristae organizing system (MICOS) complexes connected to OMM sorting and assembly machinery (SAM). Cristae dimensions, shape, and CJs have characteristic patterns for different metabolic regimes, physiological and pathological situations. Recent Advances: Cristae-shaping proteins were characterized, namely rows of ATP-synthase dimers forming the crista lamella edges, MICOS subunits, optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) isoforms and mitochondrial genome maintenance 1 (MGM1) filaments, prohibitins, and others. Detailed cristae ultramorphology changes were imaged by focused-ion beam/scanning electron microscopy. Dynamics of crista lamellae and mobile CJs were demonstrated by nanoscopy in living cells. With tBID-induced apoptosis a single entirely fused cristae reticulum was observed in a mitochondrial spheroid. Critical Issues: The mobility and composition of MICOS, OPA1, and ATP-synthase dimeric rows regulated by post-translational modifications might be exclusively responsible for cristae morphology changes, but ion fluxes across CM and resulting osmotic forces might be also involved. Inevitably, cristae ultramorphology should reflect also mitochondrial redox homeostasis, but details are unknown. Disordered cristae typically reflect higher superoxide formation. Future Directions: To link redox homeostasis to cristae ultramorphology and define markers, recent progress will help in uncovering mechanisms involved in proton-coupled electron transfer via the respiratory chain and in regulation of cristae architecture, leading to structural determination of superoxide formation sites and cristae ultramorphology changes in diseases. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 635-683.

Distinct Signaling Pathways for Autophagy-Driven Cell Death and Survival in Adult Hippocampal Neural Stem Cells

Autophagy is a cellular catabolic process that degrades and recycles cellular materials. Autophagy is considered to be beneficial to the cell and organism by preventing the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates, removing damaged organelles, and providing bioenergetic substrates that are necessary for survival. However, autophagy can also cause cell death depending on cellular contexts. Yet, little is known about the signaling pathways that differentially regulate the opposite outcomes of autophagy. We have previously reported that insulin withdrawal (IW) or corticosterone (CORT) induces autophagic cell death (ACD) in adult hippocampal neural stem (HCN) cells. On the other hand, metabolic stresses caused by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) and glucose-low (GL) induce autophagy without death in HCN cells. Rather, we found that 2DG-induced autophagy was cytoprotective. By comparing IW and CORT conditions with 2DG treatment, we revealed that ERK and JNK are involved with 2DG-induced protective autophagy, whereas GSK-3β regulates death-inducing autophagy. These data suggest that cell death and survival-promoting autophagy undergo differential regulation with distinct signaling pathways in HCN cells.

Autophagy Meets Aging: An Overview

Aging is characterized by biological disarrangements that increase vulnerability to stressors, the development of chronic diseases (e [...].

To die or not to die - How mitochondrial processes affect lifespan of Podospora anserina

The filamentous ascomycete Podospora anserina is a well-established model system to study organismic aging. Its senescence syndrome has been investigated for more than fifty years and turned out to have a strong mitochondrial etiology. Several different mitochondrial pathways were demonstrated to affect aging and lifespan. Here, we present an update of the literature focusing on the cooperative interplay between different processes.

Disruption of the MICOS complex leads to an aberrant cristae structure and an unexpected, pronounced lifespan extension in Podospora anserina

Mitochondria are dynamic eukaryotic organelles involved in a variety of essential cellular processes including the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species as well as in the control of apoptosis and autophagy. Impairments of mitochondrial functions lead to aging and disease. Previous work with the ascomycete Podospora anserina demonstrated that mitochondrial morphotype as well as mitochondrial ultrastructure change during aging. The latter goes along with an age-dependent reorganization of the inner mitochondrial membrane leading to a change from lamellar cristae to vesicular structures. Particularly from studies with yeast, it is known that besides the F₁ F_o -ATP-synthase and the phospholipid cardiolipin also the "mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system" (MICOS) complex, existing of the Mic60- and Mic10-subcomplex, is essential for proper cristae formation. In the present study, we aimed to understand the mechanistic basis of age-related changes in the mitochondrial ultrastructure. We observed that MICOS subunits are coregulated at the posttranscriptional level. This regulation partially depends on the mitochondrial iAAA-protease PaIAP. Most surprisingly, we made the counterintuitive observation that, despite the loss of lamellar cristae and of mitochondrial impairments, the ablation of MICOS subunits (except for PaMIC12) leads to a pronounced lifespan extension. Moreover, simultaneous ablation of subunits of both MICOS subcomplexes synergistically increases lifespan, providing formal genetic evidence that both subcomplexes affect lifespan by different and at least partially independent pathways. At the molecular level, we found that ablation of Mic10-subcomplex components leads to a mitohormesis-induced lifespan extension, while lifespan extension of Mic60-subcomplex mutants seems to be controlled by pathways involved in the control of phospholipid homeostasis. Overall, our data demonstrate that both MICOS subcomplexes have different functions and play distinct roles in the aging process of P. anserina.

Lifespan Extension of Podospora anserina Mic60-Subcomplex Mutants Depends on Cardiolipin Remodeling

Function of mitochondria largely depends on a characteristic ultrastructure with typical invaginations, namely the cristae of the inner mitochondrial membrane. The mitochondrial signature phospholipid cardiolipin (CL), the F₁F_o-ATP-synthase, and the ‘mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system’ (MICOS) complex are involved in this process. Previous studies with Podospora anserina demonstrated that manipulation of MICOS leads to altered cristae structure and prolongs lifespan. While longevity of Mic10-subcomplex mutants is induced by mitohormesis, the underlying mechanism in the Mic60-subcomplex deletion mutants was unclear. Since several studies indicated a connection between MICOS and phospholipid composition, we now analyzed the impact of MICOS on mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism. Data from lipidomic analysis identified alterations in phospholipid profile and acyl composition of CL in Mic60-subcomplex mutants. These changes appear to have beneficial effects on membrane properties and promote longevity. Impairments of CL remodeling in a PaMIC60 ablated mutant lead to a complete abrogation of longevity. This effect is reversed by supplementation of the growth medium with linoleic acid, a fatty acid which allows the formation of tetra-octadecanoyl CL. In the PaMic60 deletion mutant, this CL species appears to lead to longevity. Overall, our data demonstrate a tight connection between MICOS, the regulation of mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis, and aging of P. anserina.

Defective dimerization of FoF1-ATP synthase secondary to glycation favors mitochondrial energy deficiency in cardiomyocytes during aging

Aged cardiomyocytes develop a mismatch between energy demand and supply, the severity of which determines the onset of heart failure, and become prone to undergo cell death. The FoF1-ATP synthase is the molecular machine that provides >90% of the ATP consumed by healthy cardiomyocytes and is proposed to form the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), an energy-dissipating channel involved in cell death. We investigated whether aging alters FoF1-ATP synthase self-assembly, a fundamental biological process involved in mitochondrial cristae morphology and energy efficiency, and the functional consequences this may have. Purified heart mitochondria and cardiomyocytes from aging mice displayed an impaired dimerization of FoF1-ATP synthase (blue native and proximity ligation assay), associated with abnormal mitochondrial cristae tip curvature (TEM). Defective dimerization did not modify the in vitro hydrolase activity of FoF1-ATP synthase but reduced the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in intact mitochondria (in which membrane architecture plays a fundamental role) and increased cardiomyocytes' susceptibility to undergo energy collapse by mPTP. High throughput proteomics and fluorescence immunolabeling identified glycation of 5 subunits of FoF1-ATP synthase as the causative mechanism of the altered dimerization. In vitro induction of FoF1-ATP synthase glycation in H9c2 myoblasts recapitulated the age-related defective FoF1-ATP synthase assembly, reduced the relative contribution of oxidative phosphorylation to cell energy metabolism, and increased mPTP susceptibility. These results identify altered dimerization of FoF1-ATP synthase secondary to enzyme glycation as a novel pathophysiological mechanism involved in mitochondrial cristae remodeling, energy deficiency, and increased vulnerability of cardiomyocytes to undergo mitochondrial failure during aging.

Aging of Podospora anserina Leads to Alterations of OXPHOS and the Induction of Non-Mitochondrial Salvage Pathways

The accumulation of functionally impaired mitochondria is a key event in aging. Previous works with the fungal aging model Podospora anserina demonstrated pronounced age-dependent changes of mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure, as well as alterations of transcript and protein levels, including individual proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The identified protein changes do not reflect the level of the whole protein complexes as they function in-vivo. In the present study, we investigated in detail the age-dependent changes of assembled mitochondrial protein complexes, using complexome profiling. We observed pronounced age-depen-dent alterations of the OXPHOS complexes, including the loss of mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes (mtRSCs) and a reduction in the abundance of complex I and complex IV. Additionally, we identified a switch from the standard complex IV-dependent respiration to an alternative respiration during the aging of the P. anserina wild type. Interestingly, we identified proteasome components, as well as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins, for which the recruitment to mitochondria appeared to be increased in the mitochondria of older cultures. Overall, our data demonstrate pronounced age-dependent alterations of the protein complexes involved in energy transduction and suggest the induction of different non-mitochondrial salvage pathways, to counteract the age-dependent mitochondrial impairments which occur during aging.

Mitochondrial Phospholipid Homeostasis Is Regulated by the i-AAA Protease PaIAP and Affects Organismic Aging

Mitochondria are ubiquitous organelles of eukaryotic organisms with a number of essential functions, including synthesis of iron-sulfur clusters, amino acids, lipids, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). During aging of the fungal aging model Podospora anserina, the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) undergoes prominent morphological alterations, ultimately resulting in functional impairments. Since phospholipids (PLs) are key components of biological membranes, maintenance of membrane plasticity and integrity via regulation of PL biosynthesis is indispensable. Here, we report results from a lipidomic analysis of isolated mitochondria from P. anserina that revealed an age-related reorganization of the mitochondrial PL profile and the involvement of the i-AAA protease PaIAP in proteolytic regulation of PL metabolism. The absence of PaIAP enhances biosynthesis of characteristic mitochondrial PLs, leads to significant alterations in the acyl composition of the mitochondrial signature PL cardiolipin (CL), and induces mitophagy. These alterations presumably cause the lifespan increase of the PaIap deletion mutant under standard growth conditions. However, PaIAP is required at elevated temperatures and for degradation of superfluous CL synthase PaCRD1 during glycolytic growth. Overall, our study uncovers a prominent role of PaIAP in the regulation of PL homeostasis in order to adapt membrane plasticity to fluctuating environmental conditions as they occur in nature.

STRIPAK, a Key Regulator of Fungal Development, Operates as a Multifunctional Signaling Hub

The striatin-interacting phosphatases and kinases (STRIPAK) multi subunit complex is a highly conserved signaling complex that controls diverse developmental processes in higher and lower eukaryotes. In this perspective article, we summarize how STRIPAK controls diverse developmental processes in euascomycetes, such as fruiting body formation, cell fusion, sexual and vegetative development, pathogenicity, symbiosis, as well as secondary metabolism. Recent structural investigations revealed information about the assembly and stoichiometry of the complex enabling it to act as a signaling hub. Multiple organellar targeting of STRIPAK subunits suggests how this complex connects several signaling transduction pathways involved in diverse cellular developmental processes. Furthermore, recent phosphoproteomic analysis shows that STRIPAK controls the dephosphorylation of subunits from several signaling complexes. We also refer to recent findings in yeast, where the STRIPAK homologue connects conserved signaling pathways, and based on this we suggest how so far non-characterized proteins may functions as receptors connecting mitophagy with the STRIPAK signaling complex. Such lines of investigation should contribute to the overall mechanistic understanding of how STRIPAK controls development in euascomycetes and beyond.