Showing papers by "Janneke Balk published in 2005"

Biogenesis of cytosolic ribosomes requires the essential iron-sulphur protein Rli1p and mitochondria

Abstract: Mitochondria perform a central function in the biogenesis of cellular iron–sulphur (Fe/S) proteins. It is unknown to date why this biosynthetic pathway is indispensable for life, the more so as no essential mitochondrial Fe/S proteins are known. Here, we show that the soluble ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein Rli1p carries N-terminal Fe/S clusters that require the mitochondrial and cytosolic Fe/S protein biogenesis machineries for assembly. Mutations in critical cysteine residues of Rli1p abolish association with Fe/S clusters and lead to loss of cell viability. Hence, the essential character of Fe/S clusters in Rli1p explains the indispensable character of mitochondria in eukaryotes. We further report that Rli1p is associated with ribosomes and with Hcr1p, a protein involved in rRNA processing and translation initiation. Depletion of Rli1p causes a nuclear export defect of the small and large ribosomal subunits and subsequently a translational arrest. Thus, ribosome biogenesis and function are intimately linked to the crucial role of mitochondria in the maturation of the essential Fe/S protein Rli1p.

The eukaryotic P loop NTPase Nbp35: an essential component of the cytosolic and nuclear iron-sulfur protein assembly machinery.

Abstract: Soluble P loop NTPases represent a large protein family and are involved in diverse cellular functions. Here, we functionally characterized the first member of the Mrp/Nbp35 subbranch of this family, the essential Nbp35p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The protein resides in the cytosol and nucleus and carries an Fe/S cluster at its N terminus. Assembly of the Fe/S cluster requires the mitochondrial Fe/S cluster (ISC)-assembly and -export machineries. Depletion of Nbp35p strongly impairs the activity of the cytosolic Fe/S protein, isopropylmalate isomerase (Leu1p), whereas mitochondrial Fe/S enzymes are unaffected. Moreover, defects in the de novo maturation of various cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S proteins were observed in the absence of Nbp35p, demonstrating the functional involvement of Nbp35p in the biogenesis of extramitochondrial Fe/S proteins. Furthermore, Nbp35p genetically interacts with the closely similar P loop NTPase, Cfd1p, and the hydrogenase-like Nar1p, both of which were recently shown to perform a crucial function in cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S protein biogenesis. Hence, our study suggests that eukaryotic Nbp35 NTPases function in Fe/S protein maturation. The findings provide strong evidence for the existence of a highly conserved and essential machinery dedicated to assembling cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S proteins.

The essential WD40 protein Cia1 is involved in a late step of cytosolic and nuclear iron-sulfur protein assembly.

Abstract: The assembly of cytosolic and nuclear iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins in yeast is dependent on the iron-sulfur cluster assembly and export machineries in mitochondria and three recently identified extramitochondrial proteins, the P-loop NTPases Cfd1 and Nbp35 and the hydrogenase-like Nar1. However, the molecular mechanism of Fe/S protein assembly in the cytosol is far from being understood, and more components are anticipated to take part in this process. Here, we have identified and functionally characterized a novel WD40 repeat protein, designated Cia1, as an essential component required for Fe/S cluster assembly in vivo on cytosolic and nuclear, but not mitochondrial, Fe/S proteins. Surprisingly, Nbp35 and Nar1, themselves Fe/S proteins, could assemble their Fe/S clusters in the absence of Cia1, demonstrating that these components act before Cia1. Consequently, Cia1 is involved in a late step of Fe/S cluster incorporation into target proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated a specific interaction between Cia1 and Nar1. In contrast to the mostly cytosolic Nar1, Cia1 is preferentially localized to the nucleus, suggesting an additional function of Cia1. Taken together, our results indicate that Cia1 is a new member of the cytosolic Fe/S protein assembly (CIA) machinery participating in a step after Nbp35 and Nar1.

Histochemical staining and quantification of plant mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes using blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Abstract: Our knowledge of the respiratory chain and associated defects depends on the study of the multisubunit protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Functional analysis of the plant mitochondrial respiratory chain has been successfully achieved by a combination of blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) for separation of the protein complexes, and in-gel histochemical staining of the enzyme activities. We have optimized this powerful technique by determining linear ranges of amount of protein and enzyme activity for each respiratory complex. Time courses of the in-gel enzyme activities were also performed to determine optimal reaction times. Using the in-gel activity staining method we have previously shown decreased activity of complex V (F(1)F(0)-ATPase) in male-sterile sunflowers (Sabar et al., 2003). Here we have identified unique supercomplexes comprising complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) in sunflower mitochondria. This method therefore represents a reliable tool for the diagnosis of respiratory dysfunction. In addition, the wider application of BN-PAGE in combination with enzyme activity staining is discussed.

Nar1p, a conserved eukaryotic protein with similarity to Fe-only hydrogenases, functions in cytosolic iron-sulphur protein biogenesis.

Abstract: The genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the essential protein Nar1p that is conserved in virtually all eukaryotes and exhibits striking sequence similarity to bacterial iron-only hydrogenases. Previously, we have shown that Nar1p is an Fe-S protein and that assembly of its co-factors depends on the mitochondrial Fe-S cluster biosynthesis apparatus. Using functional studies in vivo, we demonstrated that Nar1p has an essential role in the maturation of cytosolic and nuclear, but not of mitochondrial, Fe-S proteins. Here we provide further spectroscopic evidence that Nar1p possesses two Fe-S clusters. We also show that Nar1p is required for Fe-S cluster assembly on the P-loop NTPase Nbp35p, another newly identified component of the cytosolic Fe-S protein assembly machinery. These data suggest a complex biochemical pathway of extra-mitochondrial Fe-S protein biogenesis involving unique eukaryotic proteins.