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Biomedical subjects

B Kadenbach

Publications and source records attributed to B Kadenbach.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia is associated with a novel mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA(Asn) gene.

Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) is caused by a decreased oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity due to large-scale deletions of the mitochondrial genome in 50% of the patients. The deletions encompass structural OXPHOS genes as well as tRNA genes, required for their expression so that the pathogenesis could be due to the deleted OXPHOS subunits or to an impaired mitochondrial translation. We have analyzed the mitochondrial genome of a patient presenting with CPEO for single base substitutions and discovered a novel heteroplasmic mutation in the tRNA(Asn) gene at position 5692 that converts a highly conserved adenine into a guanine. This mutation is unique because it is located at the transition of the anticodon loop to the anticodon stem and it leads to an additional base pair, thus reducing the number of loop-forming nucleotides from seven to five. Our findings suggest that CPEO can be caused by a single base substitution in a mitochondrial tRNA gene so that the mitochondrial protein synthesis becomes the rate limiting step in OXPHOS fidelity.

Base Sequence↗

Interaction of diiodothyronines with isolated cytochrome c oxidase.

Diiodothyronines (3,3'-T2 and 3,5-T2) stimulate the activity of isolated cytochrome c oxidase (COX) from bovine heart mitochondria. Maximal stimulation of activity (about 50%) is obtained with 3,3'-T2 at pH 6.4 and with 3,5-T2 at pH 7.4. In contrast, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) exhibited no or little stimulation of COX activity. Binding of the hormones to COX leads to conformational changes as shown by modified visible spectra of the oxidized enzyme. It is suggested that 'short-term' effects of thyroid hormones on mitochondrial respiration are at least partly due to the allosteric interaction of diiodothyronines with the COX complex.

Animals↗

Identification of tissue-specific isoforms for subunits Vb and VIIa of cytochrome c oxidase isolated from rainbow trout.

Cytochrome c oxidase was isolated from heart and liver of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii). SDS/PAGE analysis showed the presence of 11 different polypeptide subunits in the fish enzyme. The nuclear-coded subunits IV, Va, Vb, VIc, VIIa, VIIc and VIII could be identified by their N-terminal amino acid sequences. The mammalian subunits VIa and VIIb appear to be absent (or blocked at the N-terminal) in cytochrome c oxidase from trout. For subunit Vb, two polypeptides of different electrophoretic mobilities were found which differed in their N-terminal sequences, and represent a new pair of cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit isoforms, not found in mammalia. Both isoforms of subunit Vb were found in cytochrome c oxidase from heart and liver, but at different ratios. Subunit VIIa also seemed to occur in different isoforms, whereas subunit VIII had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence in cytochrome c oxidase of liver and heart, similar to the human-type subunit but different from rat, bovine and chicken.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural organisation of the rat genes encoding liver- and heart-type of cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIa and a pseudogene related to the COXVIa-L cDNA.

To study the tissue-specific expression of the heart(H)- and liver(L)-type of rat cytochrome-c oxidase subunit VIa (rCOXVIa), we have screened and sequenced the genes for the two isoforms. Both genes contain three exons and two introns, spanning 880 bp (rCOXVIa-H) and 3089 bp (rCOXVIa-L), respectively. In both genes, exon I codes for the whole leader sequence comprising 12 (rCOXVIa-H) or 26 (rCOXVIa-L) amino acids and for 12 (rCOXVIa-H) or 10 (rCOXVIa-L) amino acids of the corresponding mature protein, while the remaining amino acids for the mature proteins are encoded by exons II and III. The 5' region of the genes lack both TATA and CAAT boxes, but show a high G+C content in the early 5'-upstream region. We have identified in upstream regions and in the introns of both genes several putative binding sites associated with respiratory function, muscle gene activation and housekeeping function. In rCOXVIa-H, we identified a CCAC/Myo-D motif, known to be required for muscle-specific expression of the human myoglobin-encoding gene, which is not present in rCOXVIa-L. In addition, we have analyzed a pseudogene, showing 84% homology to the COXVIa-L cDNA sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A threshold membrane potential accounts for controversial effects of fatty acids on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.

The uncoupling effect of free fatty acids on oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria has been known for more than 35 years. The mechanism of action, however, remains controversial. In this report the physicochemical basis of uncoupling was elucidated by studying the effect of free fatty acids on the proton permeability and membrane potential of proteoliposomes containing reconstituted cytochrome c oxidase (COX). A threshold membrane potential of about 125 mV was identified for fatty acid-induced proton permeability. Only above this potential do free fatty acids translocate protons across the biological membrane. The data explain the controversial effects of long-chain fatty acids on oxidative phosphorylation as well as their role on non-shivering thermogenesis in larger mammals.

Adipose Tissue↗

Expression of human cytochrome c oxidase subunits during fetal development.

Expression of human cytochrome c oxidase (COX) subunits was examined at fetal (20-28 weeks) and adult state by Northern blot hybridization with mRNA from liver, heart, skeletal muscle, and intestine. The data were related to COX and citrate synthase activities and to immunodetected COX subunits (II/III, IV, VIIaH). In liver little changes of COX transcripts are observed from fetal to adult state. In contrast, in heart and skeletal muscle all transcripts of COX subunits increase between 2-20-fold, when related to the amount of 28S rRNA. In fetal heart and skeletal muscle the relative amounts of the liver-type transcripts of subunit VIa were 30% and 25% from total VIa transcripts (VIaL+VIaH), respectively, but decrease to only 2-5% at adult state. The liver-type transcripts of subunit VIIa occur to 50% in fetal heart and skeletal muscle, which remained unchanged in adult heart and decrease to 5-8% in adult skeletal muscle. The results clearly indicate a switch of gene expression in heart and skeletal muscle during development, from the liver type to the heart/muscle type of subunit VIa (and partly VIIa).

Adult↗

Tissue-specific regulation of cytochrome c oxidase efficiency by nucleotides.

Cytochrome c oxidase from bovine heart and liver was reconstituted in liposomes in the absence or presence of nucleotides. Intraliposomal ADP, and to a smaller extent intraliposomal ATP, increased the respiratory activity of the heart but not of the liver isozyme under uncoupled but not under coupled conditions, leading to increased respiratory control ratios. In a preceding publication [Anthony, G., Reimann, A., & Kadenbach, B. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 1652-1656], the stimulatory effect of intraliposomal ADP could be related to interaction with the matrix domain of subunit VIa-h (heart type). The data suggest a regulatory effect of matrix nucleotides in heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria on the efficiency of energy transduction in COX.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Proton slippage in cytochrome c oxidase of Paracoccus denitrificans. Membrane-potential measurements with the two-subunit and three-subunit enzyme.

Isolated cytochrome c oxidase from Paracoccus denitrificans, containing either two or three subunits, was reconstituted into liposomes and the membrane potential was measured at different rates of respiration using a triphenylmethylphosponium bromide electrode. Both enzymes revealed a non-linear increase of the membrane potential with increasing respiratory rates. The ratios of the respiratory rates of the two proton pumps decreased with increasing membrane potential, suggesting slippage of proton pumping, as has been shown before with two cytochrome c oxidases from bovine heart, differing in H+/e- stoichiometries due to chemical modification [Steverding, D. & Kadenbach, B. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 8097-8101]. The data suggest that slippage of proton pumping represents an intrinsic property of cytochrome c oxidase associated with the two catalytic subunits, I and II.

Electron Transport Complex IV↗

Tissue-specific regulation of bovine heart cytochrome-c oxidase activity by ADP via interaction with subunit VIa.

The activity of reconstituted cytochrome-c oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) from bovine heart is stimulated by intraliposomal ADP but not by NaCl of the same ionic strength. A monoclonal antibody which reacts with subunits VIa-H (heart-type) and VIc, due to the evolutionary relationship between these subunits, also stimulates the activity of the enzyme from bovine heart but not from bovine liver. The antibody induces a conformational change in the heart enzyme but not in the liver enzyme, as shown by the visible difference spectrum. Preincubation of heart cytochrome-c oxidase with the antibody prevents stimulation of activity by intraliposomal ADP after reconstitution in liposomes. Reconstituted liver cytochrome c oxidase is not stimulated by intraliposomal ADP. The data suggest tissue-specific regulation of the activity of cytochrome-c oxidase by ADP via interaction with the matrix domain of subunit VIa-H.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

The point mutation of mitochondrial DNA characteristic for MERRF disease is found also in healthy people of different ages.

The A-to-G transition mutation in the tRNA(Lys) gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), characteristic for the maternally inherited MERRF syndrome (myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers), has been identified by point mutation-specific polymerase chain reaction in extraocular muscle from 11 of 16 healthy people of different ages. No mutation was found in navel-string samples from 5 newborns, in HeLa cells, and in 2 individuals younger than 20 years. On the other hand, the mutation is present in all 5 tested 74-89-year-old individuals and in 6 of 9 20-70-year-old individuals. The amount of mutated from total mtDNA was estimated by 'mispairing PCR' in extraocular muscle of 2 individuals of 74 and 89 years to 2.0 and 2.4%, respectively. In most tissue samples the MERRF mutation occurs together with the 'common deletion' of mtDNA, which was previously shown to accumulate in healthy individuals with increasing age. It is proposed that during aging, deletions and point mutations of mtDNA accumulate, which could impair mitochondrial energetics.

Adolescent↗

Ferricytochrome c induces monophasic kinetics of ferrocytochrome c oxidation in cytochrome c oxidase.

The kinetics of ferrocytochrome c oxidation by reconstituted cytochrome c oxidase (COX) from bovine heart was followed by a spectrophotometric method, using on-line data collection and subsequent calculation of reaction rates from a function fitted to the progress curve. When reaction rates were calculated at increasing reaction times, the multiphasic kinetics of ferrocytochrome c oxidation gradually changed into monophasic Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The same phenomenon was observed when ferrocytochrome c oxidation was followed in the presence of increasing amounts of ferricytochrome c. From these results we conclude that ferricytochrome c shifts the multiphasic kinetics of ferrocytochrome c oxidation by COX into monophasic kinetics, comparable to high ionic strength conditions. Furthermore, we show that ferricytochrome c inhibits the "high affinity phase" of ferrocytochrome c oxidation in an apparently competitive way, while inhibition of the "low affinity phase" is noncompetitive. These findings are consistent with a "regulatory site model" where both the catalytic and the regulatory site bind ferro- as well as ferricytochrome c.

Animals↗

Different in situ hybridization patterns of mitochondrial DNA in cytochrome c oxidase-deficient extraocular muscle fibres in the elderly.

Previous studies have revealed an increase of cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibres/cells in the skeletal and heart muscle of humans during ageing. The enzyme defect is due to a lack of both mitochondrial and nuclear coded enzyme subunits. In the present investigation in situ hybridization of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been performed on extraocular muscles of humans over 70 years of age to show whether mutated mtDNA with the so called common deletion of 4,977 basepairs at position 8,482-13,460 of mtDNA accumulates in the cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibres. The cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibres revealed different hybridization patterns: a normal hybridization signal with three different mtDNA probes, a reduced or lacking signal with all three probes indicating depletion of mtDNA and a selective hybridization defect with the probe recognizing the "common deletion" region of mtDNA as evidence of mtDNA deletion. The results suggest that during ageing defects of cytochrome c oxidase are associated with different molecular alterations of mtDNA. Deletion and depletion of mtDNA are not the only nor probably the leading mechanisms responsible for the loss of respiratory chain capacity during ageing. The normal hybridization signal in most of the cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibres and the loss of mitochondrial and nuclear protein subunits indicate the involvement of other, especially nuclear factors.

Aged↗

Human aging is associated with various point mutations in tRNA genes of mitochondrial DNA.

In extraocular muscle tissue of elderly humans small amounts of point mutations in tRNA genes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were identified by point mutation-specific PCR. These mutations were not found in navel-string samples from newborns. While the mutations in tRNA(Leu(UUR)) (np 3243) and tRNA(Gly) (np 10006), previously identified in patients with MELAS and CIPO, respectively, were found in most elderly people, the mutations in tRNA(Ser(GCU)O (np 12246) and tRNA(Asn) (np 5692), identified in patients with CIPO and CPEO, respectively, were found only in two of 15 tissue samples from different individuals. The data suggest that some nucleotides of mtDNA represent "hot spots" for somatic mutations, which contribute to human aging.

Adolescent↗

Generalized mitochondrial microangiopathy and vascular cytochrome c oxidase deficiency. Occurrence in a case of MELAS syndrome with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy-myopathy and combined complex I/IV deficiency.

The pathophysiological significance of the mitochondrial microangiopathy in MELAS (mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes) syndrome was evaluated in an autopsy study of a nearly 13-year-old girl who had suffered from multiple infarctlike lesions in the brain, a mitochondrial myopathy-cardiomyopathy, and a generalized mitochondrial microangiopathy. Cytochemically, defects of cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV) were visualized by light and electron microscopy in the skeletal and heart muscle and in the altered vessels, as well as in single bile duct cells, with the activity of the hepatocytes being diffusely reduced, whereas in the brain, the cytochemical activity was only slightly diminished. Biochemical studies revealed a 50% reduction of both NADH (the reduced from of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide) dehydrogenase (complex I) and complex IV in the skeletal muscle. In the brain, complex I was diminished to 20%, whereas complex IV was only slightly below the low-normal range. Immunohistochemical studies with the use of subunit-specific antiserum samples against cytochrome c oxidase showed a varying protein profile, with loss of both mitochondrially and nuclearly derived subunits being most pronounced in the heart muscle and lesser in the skeletal muscle. In the brain, liver, bile ducts, and especially the vessels, no loss of enzyme protein content was observed. The results illustrate heterogeneous tissue expression of respiratory chain defects in MELAS syndrome and indicate that vascular cytochrome c oxidase deficiency may be involved in the cerebral manifestation of the disease, whereas in other organs like the heart, a similar pathogenetic importance of the microangiopathy cannot be verified.

Adolescent↗

Selective removal of subunit VIb increases the activity of cytochrome c oxidase.

Bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase was gel-filtered on Sephacryl S-300 in 0.05% dodecyl maltoside and in the presence or absence of 1 M KCl. The presence of KCl selectively removed subunit VIb from the enzyme complex, resulting in about doubling of enzymatic activity and an increase of the Km for ferrocytochrome c. In contrast, the proton pumping activity of the enzyme was unchanged. The increase of activity is due to removal of subunit VIb and not of lipids, because titration with asolectin or dodecyl maltoside could not abolish the difference in activity between the 12- and 13-subunit enzyme. Attempts to reconstitute cytochrome c oxidase from its separated components were unsuccessful. It is concluded that subunit VIb suppresses the activity of the mammalian enzyme complex by interaction with the active center.

Animals↗

Modified structure and kinetics of cytochrome-c oxidase in fibroblasts from patients with Leigh syndrome.

In this study we compared the properties of cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) in cultured fibroblasts from two patients with Leigh Syndrome with COX from control fibroblasts. The fibroblasts from patients showed decreased growth rates and elevated lactate production. COX activity of patients fibroblasts was about 25% of control. Kinetic studies with isolated mitochondria showed a higher Km for cytochrome c and a markedly reduced molecular turnover of COX from patients, indicating a different structure of the enzyme. A biphasic change of COX activity was obtained by titration of dodecylmaltoside solubilized mitochondria from control fibroblasts with increasing concentrations of anions. With patient mitochondria we found only the inhibiting phase of COX activity and, in contrast to control mitochondria, irreversible inhibition of COX activity by guanidinium chloride. ELISA titrations with monoclonal antibodies to subunit II, IV, Vab, Vlac and VIIab indicated a normal amount of mitochondrial coded subunit II, but a reduced amount of nuclear coded subunits. The data indicate incompletely assembled nuclear coded subunits of COX from patient fibroblasts.

Blotting, Western↗