Human COX20 cooperates with SCO1 and SCO2 to mature COX2 and promote the assembly of cytochrome c oxidase

Cytochrome c oxidase (CIV) deficiency is one of the most common respiratory chain defects in patients presenting with mitochondrial encephalocardiomyopathies. CIV biogenesis is complicated by the dual genetic origin of its structural subunits, and assembly of a functional holoenzyme complex requires a large number of nucleus-encoded assembly factors. In general, the functions of these assembly factors remain poorly understood, and mechanistic investigations of human CIV biogenesis have been limited by the availability of model cell lines. Here, we have used small interference RNA and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) technology to create knockdown and knockout human cell lines, respectively, to study the function of the CIV assembly factor COX20 (FAM36A). These cell lines exhibit a severe, isolated CIV deficiency due to instability of COX2, a mitochondrion-encoded CIV subunit. Mitochondria lacking COX20 accumulate CIV subassemblies containing COX1 and COX4, similar to those detected in fibroblasts from patients carrying mutations in the COX2 copper chaperones SCO1 and SCO2. These results imply that in the absence of COX20, COX2 is inefficiently incorporated into early CIV subassemblies. Immunoprecipitation assays using a stable COX20 knockout cell line expressing functional COX20-FLAG allowed us to identify an interaction between COX20 and newly synthesized COX2. Additionally, we show that SCO1 and SCO2 act on COX20-bound COX2. We propose that COX20 acts as a chaperone in the early steps of COX2 maturation, stabilizing the newly synthesized protein and presenting COX2 to its metallochaperone module, which in turn facilitates the incorporation of mature COX2 into the CIV assembly line.

Non-invasive screening of cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in children using a dipstick immunocapture assay

Cytochrome c oxidase (CIV) deficiency is among the most common childhood mitochondrial disorders. The diagnosis of this deficiency is complex, and muscle biopsy is used as the gold standard of diagnosis. Our aim was to minimize the patient burden and to test the use of a dipstick immunocapture assay (DIA) to determine the amount of CIV in non-invasively obtained buccal epithelial cells. Buccal smears were obtained from five children with Leigh syndrome including three children exhibiting a previously confirmed CIV deficiency in muscle and fibroblasts and two children who were clinical suspects for CIV deficiency; the smear samples were analysed using CI and CIV human protein quantity dipstick assay kits. Samples from five children of similar age and five adults were used as controls. Analysis of the controls demonstrated that only samples of buccal cells that were frozen for a maximum of 4 h after collection provide accurate results. All three patients with confirmed CIV deficiency due to mutations in the SURF1 gene exhibited significantly lower amounts of CIV than the similarly aged controls; significantly lower amounts were also observed in two new patients, for whom later molecular analysis also confirmed pathologic mutations in the SURF1 gene. We conclude that DIA is a simple, fast and sensitive method for the determination of CIV in buccal cells and is suitable for the screening of CIV deficiency in non-invasively obtained material from children who are suspected of having mitochondrial disease.

Mutation of the human mitochondrial phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase causes infantile-onset epilepsy and cytochrome c oxidase deficiency

Mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are essential enzymes in protein synthesis since they charge tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. Mutations in the genes encoding mitochondrial aaRSs have been associated with a wide spectrum of human mitochondrial diseases. Here we report the identification of pathogenic mutations (a partial genomic deletion and a highly conserved p. Asp325Tyr missense variant) in FARS2, the gene encoding mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, in a patient with early-onset epilepsy and isolated complex IV deficiency in muscle. The biochemical defect was expressed in myoblasts but not in fibroblasts and associated with decreased steady state levels of COXI and COXII protein and reduced steady state levels of the mt-tRNA(Phe) transcript. Functional analysis of the recombinant mutant p. Asp325Tyr FARS2 protein showed an inability to bind ATP and consequently undetectable aminoacylation activity using either bacterial tRNA or human mt-tRNA(Phe) as substrates. Lentiviral transduction of cells with wildtype FARS2 restored complex IV protein levels, confirming that the p.Asp325Tyr mutation is pathogenic, causing respiratory chain deficiency and neurological deficits on account of defective aminoacylation of mt-tRNA(Phe).

Expression of the alternative oxidase complements cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in human cells

Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency is associated with a wide spectrum of clinical conditions, ranging from early onset devastating encephalomyopathy and cardiomyopathy, to neurological diseases in adulthood and in the elderly. No method of compensating successfully for COX deficiency has been reported so far. In vitro, COX-deficient human cells require additional glucose, pyruvate and uridine for normal growth and are specifically sensitive to oxidative stress. Here, we have tested whether the expression of a mitochondrially targeted, cyanide-resistant, alternative oxidase (AOX) from Ciona intestinalis could alleviate the metabolic abnormalities of COX-deficient human cells either from a patient harbouring a COX15 pathological mutation or rendered deficient by silencing the COX10 gene using shRNA. We demonstrate that the expression of the AOX, well-tolerated by the cells, compensates for both the growth defect and the pronounced oxidant-sensitivity of COX-deficient human cells.

Severe infantile encephalomyopathy caused by a mutation in COX6B1, a nucleus-encoded subunit of cytochrome c oxidase

Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency, one of the most common respiratory-chain defects in humans, has been associated with mutations in either mitochondrial DNA genes or nucleus-encoded proteins that are not part in but promote the biogenesis of COX. Mutations of nucleus-encoded structural subunits were sought for but never found in COX-defective patients, leading to the conjecture that they may be incompatible with extra-uterine survival. We report a disease-associated mutation in one such subunit, COX6B1. Nuclear-encoded COX genes should be reconsidered and included in the diagnostic mutational screening of human disorders related to COX deficiency.

Isolated cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in G93A SOD1 mice overexpressing CCS protein

G93A SOD1 transgenic mice overexpressing CCS protein develop an accelerated disease course that is associated with enhanced mitochondrial pathology and increased mitochondrial localization of mutant SOD1. Because these results suggest an effect of mutant SOD1 on mitochondrial function, we assessed the enzymatic activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in the spinal cords of CCS/G93A SOD1 and control mice. CCS/G93A SOD1 mouse spinal cord demonstrates a 55% loss of complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) activity compared with spinal cord from age-matched non-transgenic or G93A SOD1 mice. In contrast, CCS/G93A SOD1 spinal cord shows no reduction in the activities of complex I, II, or III. Blue native gel analysis further demonstrates a marked reduction in the levels of complex IV but not of complex I, II, III, or V in spinal cords of CCS/G93A SOD1 mice compared with non-transgenic, G93A SOD1, or CCS/WT SOD1 controls. With SDS-PAGE analysis, spinal cords from CCS/G93A SOD1 mice showed significant decreases in the levels of two structural subunits of cytochrome c oxidase, COX1 and COX5b, relative to controls. In contrast, CCS/G93A SOD1 mouse spinal cord showed no reduction in levels of selected subunits from complexes I, II, III, or V. Heme A analyses of spinal cord further support the existence of cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in CCS/G93A SOD1 mice. Collectively, these results establish that CCS/G93A SOD1 mice manifest an isolated complex IV deficiency which may underlie a substantial part of mutant SOD1-induced mitochondrial cytopathy.

Studies of COX16, COX19, and PET191 in human cytochrome-c oxidase deficiency

BACKGROUND

Cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) is the terminal enzyme of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, and COX deficiency is a common cause of mitochondrial diseases. Cytochrome-c oxidase is composed of 13 subunits, of which 3 are encoded by mitochondrial DNA and 10 by nuclear DNA. Mutations have been identified in each of the 3 mitochondrial DNA genes but in none of the nuclear DNA genes. However, COX deficiency has been attributed to mutations in several nuclear DNA-encoded ancillary proteins needed for COX assembly and function. Despite this progress, the molecular basis of COX deficiency remains elusive in many patients, justifying the identification and screening of additional COX assembly genes, such as COX16, COX19, and PET191.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if COX16, COX19, and PET191 are implicated in human COX deficiency.

METHODS

Mutation screening was performed on 53 patients with isolated COX deficiency by direct sequencing of COX19 and by single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis for COX16 and PET191.

RESULTS

No mutations were found in COX16, COX19, or PET191 in these patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The COX16, COX19, and PET191 genes are either not involved or very rarely involved in human COX deficiency. Mutations in additional COX assembly genes remain to be identified.

Senescence-enhanced oxidative stress is associated with deficiency of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase in vascular endothelial cells

Cellular senescence-elevated oxidative stress plays a critical role in age-associated vascular endothelial dysfunction. We investigated whether deficiency of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV) is causally linked to increased oxidant generation during cellular aging using senescent (passage 45) and young (passage 3) pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). In senescent PAEC, levels of O2- and H2O2 were elevated onefold, respectively, compared to those in young cells. Lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl contents in aged cells were increased more than twofold compared to young cells. To determine whether lack of complex IV in senescent cells contributed to the increased oxidant generation, complex IV activity in young cells was specifically inhibited using antisense oligonucleotides directed against the mRNA of complex IV subunits. Levels of O2- and H2O2 in PAEC treated with antisense oligonucleotides were elevated onefold, respectively, which correlated with a similar increase in lipid (110%) and protein (20%) oxidation, compared to control oligonucleotides-transfected cells. Moreover, levels of nitrosylated proteins in antisense-transfected cells were increased 30%, compared to controls. These data demonstrate that deficiency of complex IV in senescent cells enhances oxidative and nitrosative stress, which may be responsible for senescence-induced endothelial cell loss and dysfunction.

Metabolic consequences of a novel missense mutation of the mtDNA CO I gene

We have identified a novel heteroplasmic C6489A missense mutation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) CO I gene encoding the cytochrome c oxidase (COX) subunit I in a 17-year-old girl with epilepsia partialis continua. This point mutation leads to an exchange of the highly conserved Leu196 to Ileu196. Muscle biopsy showed in single fibers decreased COX activity and lowered binding of COX antibodies, indicating decreased stability of the mutated enzyme. The analysis of blood mtDNA revealed about 30% mutant mtDNA in the patients blood but about 90% mutant mtDNA in the blood of two non-affected family members. Quantitative analysis of the mutation gene dose effect on COX activity on single muscle fiber level revealed a very high threshold-a COX deficiency was observed only in fibers containing >95% mutant mtDNA. In apparent contrast to this high mutation gene dose threshold, in vivo investigations of mitochondrial function in saponin-permeabilized muscle fibers of the index patient containing approximately 90% mutated mtDNA showed decreased maximal rates of respiration and an increased sensitivity of fiber respiration to cyanide. This is due to a 2-fold increase of COX flux control on muscle fiber respiration and a 30% decrease of COX metabolic threshold, supporting the concept of tight COX control of oxidative phosphorylation in skeletal muscle.

A novel mutation in the SURF1 gene in a child with Leigh disease, peripheral neuropathy, and cytochrome-c oxidase deficiency

We report a 16-month-old boy with psychomotor regression, muscle hypotonia, peripheral neuropathy, and lactic acidosis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a bilateral abnormal signal in the substantia nigra and in the subthalamic nucleus, suggestive of Leigh disease. Histochemical analysis of skeletal muscle showed decreased cytochrome-c oxidase activity. Biochemical analysis of respiratory chain enzymes in muscle homogenate and in cultured fibroblasts showed isolated cytochrome-c oxidase deficiency. Western blot analysis in fibroblasts showed the absence of Surf1 protein. Genetic analysis of the SURF1 gene revealed that the patient was compound heterozygous for a previously reported mutation at the splice-junction site of intron 3 (240 + 1G > T), and for a novel 4-bp deletion in exon 6 (531_534delAAAT). Our data further enlarge the spectrum of mutations in SURF1 gene in patients with Leigh disease and cytochrome-c oxidase deficiency, contributing to better characterization of the clinical and neuroradiologic features of this group of patients for genotype-phenotype correlations.