Biomedical subjects

F Foury

Publications and source records attributed to F Foury.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Aconitase and mitochondrial iron-sulphur protein deficiency in Friedreich ataxia.

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a common autosomal recessive degenerative disease (1/50,000 live births) characterized by a progressive-gait and limb ataxia with lack of tendon reflexes in the legs, dysarthria and pyramidal weakness of the inferior limbs. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is observed in most FRDA patients. The gene associated with the disease has been mapped to chromosome 9q13 (ref. 3) and encodes a 210-amino-acid protein, frataxin. FRDA is caused primarily by a GAA repeat expansion within the first intron of the frataxin gene, which accounts for 98% of mutant alleles. The function of the protein is unknown, but an increased iron content has been reported in hearts of FRDA patients and in mitochondria of yeast strains carrying a deleted frataxin gene counterpart (YFH1), suggesting that frataxin plays a major role in regulating mitochondrial iron transport. Here, we report a deficient activity of the iron-sulphur (Fe-S) cluster-containing subunits of mitochondrial respiratory complexes I, II and III in the endomyocardial biopsy of two unrelated FRDA patients. Aconitase, an iron-sulphur protein involved in iron homeostasis, was found to be deficient as well. Moreover, disruption of the YFH1 gene resulted in multiple Fe-S-dependent enzyme deficiencies in yeast. The deficiency of Fe-S-dependent enzyme activities in both FRDA patients and yeast should be related to mitochondrial iron accumulation, especially as Fe-S proteins are remarkably sensitive to free radicals. Mutated frataxin triggers aconitase and mitochondrial Fe-S respiratory enzyme deficiency in FRDA, which should therefore be regarded as a mitochondrial disorder.

Aconitate Hydratase↗

PubMed1995

Overexpression of the RNR1 gene rescues Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants in the mitochondrial DNA polymerase-encoding MIP1 gene.

A multicopy suppressor gene which rescues the temperature-sensitive growth defect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase-encoding MIP1 gene has been isolated and identified as the RNR1 gene. This gene, whose transcript is cell cycle-regulated and mainly expressed at the G1 to S phase transition, encodes the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase. This enzyme catalyses a limiting step in the production of deoxynucleotides needed for DNA synthesis. The presence of a high copy number of the RNR1 gene also decreases the accumulation of rho- mutants observed in diploids that harbour a single copy of the MIP1 gene. In cell cycle-synchronised cells, the presence of a high copy number of RNR1 does not modify its cell cycle transcription regulation and increases its transcript level by a factor of 10 throughout the cell cycle. Our results show that an increased supply of dNTPs in mitochondria can stimulate the mtDNA polymerase activity and indicate that the dNTP concentration may be rate limiting for the replication of mtDNA.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMed1995

Isolation and characterization of ten mutator alleles of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase-encoding MIP1 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ten mutator alleles of MIP1, the gene encoding mitochondrial (mt) DNA polymerase, have been isolated after in vitro random mutagenesis. Five mutations causing a 100-400-fold increase in the frequency of erythromycin-resistant (ErR) mt mutants in yeast mapped to the 3'-5' exonuclease (Exo) domain, and mainly to the three conserved motifs Exo1, Exo2 and Exo3 of this domain, highlighting the importance of proofreading in accurate mt DNA replication. The essential role of the invariant glutamate at the Exo1 site was confirmed and the participation of four amino acids (aa) in the 3'-5' Exo function revealed. Another mutation that is located between the Exo1 and Exo2 sites produced an extremely strong mutator phenotype associated with impaired DNA replication, but could be assigned neither to a conserved aa nor to a conserved portion of the 3'-5' exonuclease domain. The importance of the polymerization domain in accurate mt DNA replication was pointed out by three mutator mutations. Two of these severely impaired mt DNA replication and were assigned to a subdomain of the polymerase which probably corresponds to the 'fingers' module of the Klenow (large) fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (PolIk). The third, which did not alter the efficiency of DNA replication, was located at the active center of the polymerization reaction. Finally, the mutation, R1001I, mapped to the C-terminal part of the MIP1 protein which has no counterpart in prokaryotic DNA polymerases.

Alleles↗

PubMed1995

Overexpression of a novel member of the mitochondrial carrier family rescues defects in both DNA and RNA metabolism in yeast mitochondria.

The PIF1 and MRS2 gene products have previously been shown to be essential for mitochondrial DNA maintenance at elevated temperatures and mitochondrial group II intron splicing, respectively, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A multicopy suppressor capable of rescuing the respiratory deficient phenotype associated with null alleles of either gene has been isolated. This suppressor is a nuclear gene that was called RIM2/MRS12. The RIM2/MRS12 gene encodes a predicted protein of 377 amino acids that is essential for mitochondrial DNA metabolism and proper cell growth. Inactivation of this gene causes the total loss of mitochondrial DNA and, compared to wild-type rhoo controls, a slow-growth phenotype on media containing glucose. Analysis of the RIM2/MRS12 protein sequence suggests that RIM2/MRS12 encodes a novel member of the mitochondrial carrier family. In particular, a typical triplicate structure, where each repeat consists of two putative transmembrane segments separated by a hydrophilic loop, can be deduced from amino acid sequence comparisons and the hydropathy profile of RIM2/MRS12. Antibodies directed against the aminoterminus of RIM2/MRS12 detect this protein in mitochondria. The function of the RIM2/MRS12 protein and the substrates it might transport are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

In-frame recombination between the yeast H(+)-ATPase isogenes PMA1 and PMA2: insights into the mechanism of recombination initiated by a double-strand break.

Chimeric PMA1::PMA2 sequences, placed under the control of the PMA1 promoter, were constructed by in vivo recombination between a gapped linearized plasmid containing the PMA2 gene and four different fragments of the PMA1 gene. Correct in-frame assembly of the PMA sequences was screened by the expression of the lacZ reporter gene fused to the PMA2 coding region. Restriction and sequencing analysis of 35 chimeras showed that in all cases, the hybrid sequences was obtained as fusions between continuous sequences specific to PMA1 and PMA2, separated by a region of identity. In all but three cases, the junction sequences were not located at regions of greatest identity. Strikingly, depending on the PMA1 fragment used, junction distribution fell into two categories. In the first, the junctions were scattered over several hundreds of nucleotides upstream of the extremity of the PMA1 fragment, while in the second, they were concentrated at this extremity. Analysis of the alignment of the PMA1 and PMA2 sequences suggests that the distribution is not related to the size of the region of identity at the PMA1-PMA2 boundary but depends on the degree of identity of the PMA genes upstream of the region of identity, the accumulation of successive mismatches leading to a clustered distribution of the junctions. Moreover, the introduction of seven closely spaced mismatches near the end of a PMA1 segment with an otherwise-high level of identity with PMA2 led to a significantly increased concentration of the junctions near this end. These data show that a low level of identity in the vicinity of the common boundary stretch is a strong barrier to recombination. In contrast, consecutive mismatches or regions of overall moderate identity which are located several hundreds of nucleotides upstream from the PMA1 end do not necessarily block recombination.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1993

PIF1 DNA helicase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biochemical characterization of the enzyme.

Overexpressed PIF1 DNA helicase was purified from mitochondria to near homogeneity. Its ATPase and unwinding properties were characterized. The enzyme specifically utilizes ATP (or dATP) and MgCl2 (and to a lesser extent MnCl2). ATPase activity requires single-stranded DNA as an effector, duplex DNA being 100-fold less effective. The Keff, defined as the concentration of DNA required to achieve half-maximal ATPase activity, does not depend on single-stranded DNA length. Long duplex DNAs are poorly unwound and, moreover, dilution of the enzyme and its DNA substrate in the assay decreases DNA helicase activity. These data indicate that PIF1 helicase is a distributive enzyme, frequently turning from one DNA molecule to another. When forked substrates are used, unwinding by PIF1 is markedly stimulated. The enzyme has a sedimentation coefficient of 6.5 S, suggesting that it exists as a monomer in solution.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1992

Yeast mitochondrial DNA mutators with deficient proofreading exonucleolytic activity.

The MIP1 gene which encodes yeast mitochondrial DNA polymerase possesses in its N-terminal region the three motifs (Exo1, Exo2 and Exo3) which characterize the 3'-5' exonucleolytic domain of many DNA polymerases. By site directed mutagenesis we have substituted alanine or glycine residues for conserved aspartate residues in each consensus sequence. Yeast mutants were therefore generated that are capable of replicating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and exhibit a mutator phenotype, as estimated by the several hundred-fold increase in the frequency of spontaneous mitochondrial erythromycin resistant mutants. By overexpressing the mtDNA polymerase from the GAL1 promoter as a major 140 kDa polypeptide, we showed that the wild-type enzyme possesses a mismatch-specific 3'-5' exonuclease activity. This activity was decreased by approximately 500-fold in the mutant D347A; in contrast, the extent of DNA synthesis was only slightly decreased. The wild-type mtDNA polymerase efficiently catalyses elongation of singly-primed M13 DNA to the full-length product. However, the mutant preferentially accumulates low molecular weight products. These data were extended to the two other mutators D171G and D230A. Glycine substitution for the Cys344 residue which is present in the Exo3 site of several polymerases generates a mutant with a slightly higher mtDNA mutation rate and a slightly lower 3'-5' exonucleolytic activity. We conclude that proofreading is an important determinant of accuracy in the replication of yeast mtDNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

A single-stranded DNA binding protein required for mitochondrial DNA replication in S. cerevisiae is homologous to E. coli SSB.

It has previously been shown that the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae becomes thermosensitive due to the inactivation of the mitochondrial DNA helicase gene, PIF1. A suppressor of this thermosensitive phenotype was isolated from a wild-type plasmid library by transforming a pif1 null strain to growth on glycerol at the non-permissive temperature. This suppressor is a nuclear gene encoding a 135 amino acid protein that is itself essential for mtDNA replication; cells lacking this gene are totally devoid of mtDNA. We therefore named this gene RIM1 for replication in mitochondria. The primary structure of the RIM1 protein is homologous to the single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) from Escherichia coli and to the mitochondrial SSB from Xenopus laevis. The mature RIM1 gene product has been purified from yeast extracts using a DNA unwinding assay dependent upon the DNA helicase activity of SV40 T-antigen. Direct amino acid sequencing of the protein reveals that RIM1 is a previously uncharacterized SSB. Antibodies against this purified protein localize RIM1 to mitochondria. The SSB encoded by RIM1 is therefore an essential component of the yeast mtDNA replication apparatus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

PIF1: a DNA helicase in yeast mitochondria.

The PIF1 gene is involved in repair and recombination of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In this study, the PIF1 gene product, which cannot be identified in normal yeast cells, has been overproduced from the GALI promoter to detectable protein levels. Location of PIF1 in mitochondria has been shown by immunoelectron microscopy and in vivo import experiments using ts mas1 mutants deficient in the mitochondrial matrix-localized processing protease. Overproduction of PIF1 protein in pif1 mutants restores mtDNA recombination proficiency but is toxic to yeast cells as observed by slower growth. The overproduced PIF1 protein, which is firmly associated with insoluble mitochondrial structures, has been partially purified in a mitochondrial nuclease deficient nuc1 strain by a procedure including solubilization by urea and renaturation by dialysis at alkaline pH. PIF1 is a single-stranded (ss) DNA-dependent ATPase and a DNA helicase which unwinds partially DNA duplexes in a 5' to 3' direction with respect to the ss DNA on which it binds first.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1990

The 31-kDa polypeptide is an essential subunit of the vacuolar ATPase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The VMA4 gene encodes a 26.6-kDa hydrophilic polypeptide which exhibits 34% sequence identity with the E subunit of the vacuolar ATPase from bovine kidney microsomes. The chromosomal VMA4 gene was inactivated by a 171-base pair deletion followed by insertion of the URA3 gene within the coding sequence. Null vma4 haploid mutants are viable. However, their growth is considerably slowed down specially in non-acidic conditions; they are cold sensitive and thermo-sensitive, exhibit poor growth on glycerol medium, and do not accumulate in their vacuole the red pigment of ade2 strains. No bafilomycin-sensitive ATPase is detected in a vacuolar fraction. These properties shared by null mutants in the A, B, and C subunits of the vacuolar ATPase show that the VMA4 polypeptide is also an essential component of the vacuolar ATPase which has been conserved from yeast to mammals. The tightly linked VMA4 and MIP1 (encoding the mitochondrial DNA polymerase) genes are divergently transcribed from face-to-face promoters. About 250 base pairs upstream of the VMA4 gene, Homoll and RPG consensus for the binding of TUF (RAP/GRF1) protein are present, suggesting that the VMA4 gene belongs to this large family of genes involved in cellular growth and division whose transcription is regulated by the TUF protein.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed1989

Cloning and sequencing of the nuclear gene MIP1 encoding the catalytic subunit of the yeast mitochondrial DNA polymerase.

The nuclear gene MIP1 is strictly required for mitochondrial DNA replication and mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity (Genga, A., Bianchi, L., and Foury, F. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 9328-9332). The MIP1 gene was cloned by genetic complementation of the mip1-1 allele after cell transformation with a yeast genomic library and was mapped to the right arm of chromosome XV about 20 centimorgans distal to the cpa1 gene by Southern blot hybridization and tetrad analysis. The mapping of the 5' ends of the MIP1 transcript and the nucleotide sequence analysis of a 4.7-kilobase DNA fragment complementing the mip1-1 allele allowed the determination of an open reading frame of 3762 nucleotides encoding a basic protein of 143.5 kDa. The following data show that the MIP1 gene encodes the catalytic subunit of the replicative mitochondrial DNA polymerase. 1) The mutant ts71 exhibits both a thermosensitive mitochondrial DNA replication in vivo and a thermosensitive mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity is observed, when compared to that of the wild type strain. 3) Chromosomal disruption of the MIP1 gene by an 80% deletion of the gene and its replacement by URA3 gene is not lethal to the cell but elicits total loss of mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity. 4) The MIP1 protein exhibits sequence similarities with both eukaryotic nuclear DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases. There is no significant resemblance with prokaryotic DNA polymerases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

Cloning and sequencing of the PIF gene involved in repair and recombination of yeast mitochondrial DNA.

The nuclear gene PIF of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for both repair of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and recognition of a recombinogenic signal characterized by a 26-bp palindromic AT sequence in the ery region of mtDNA. This gene has been cloned in yeast by genetic complementation of pif mutants. Its chromosomal disruption does not destroy the genetic function of mitochondria. The nucleotide sequence of the 3.5-kb insert from a complementing plasmid reveals an open reading frame encoding a potential protein of 857 amino acids and Mr = 97,500. An ATP-binding domain is present in the central part of the gene and in the carboxy-terminal region a putative DNA-binding site is present. Its alpha helix-turn-alpha helix motif is found in DNA-binding proteins such as lambda and lactose repressors which recognize symmetric sequences. Significant amino acid homology is observed with yeast RAD3 and E. coli UvrD (helicase II) proteins which are required for excision repair of damaged DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1986

A nuclear mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae deficient in mitochondrial DNA replication and polymerase activity.

We have isolated a thermosensitive mutant which is transformed into a population of cells devoid of mitochondrial DNA (rho 0 cells) at 35 degrees C and is deficient in mitochondrial (mt) DNA polymerase activity. A single recessive nuclear mutation (mip1) is responsible for rho 0 phenotype and mtDNA polymerase deficiency in vitro. At 25 degrees C (or 30 degrees C) a dominant suppressor mutation (SUP) masks the deficiency in vivo. The meiotic segregants (mip1 sup) which do not harbor the suppressor have a rho 0 phenotype both at 25 and 35 degrees C. They have no mtDNA polymerase activity, in contrast with MIP rho 0 mutants of mitochondrial inheritance which do exhibit mtDNA polymerase activity. In the thermosensitive mutant (mip1 SUP), the replication of mtDNA observed in vivo at 30 degrees C is completely abolished at 35 degrees C. In the meiotic segregants (mip1 sup), no mtDNA replication takes place at 30 and 35 degrees C. The synthesis of nuclear DNA is not affected. DNA polymerases may have replicative and/or repair activity. There is no evidence that mip mutants are deficient in mtDNA repair. In contrast the MIP gene product is strictly required for the replication of mtDNA and for the expression of the mtDNA polymerase activity. This enzyme might be the replicase of mtDNA.

DNA Replication↗

PubMed1985

A PIF-dependent recombinogenic signal in the mitochondrial DNA of yeast.

From their recombination properties, tandem rho mutants of the mitochondrial genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were divided into two categories. In crosses between PIF-independent rho and rho strains, the recombination frequency is low and similar in PIF/pif and pif/pif diploids. In crosses between PIF-dependent rho and rho strains, the recombination frequency is stimulated 10-50 times in PIF/pif diploids and is drastically decreased in pif/pif diploids. These results suggest that a recombinogenic signal is present in the mitochondrial (mt) DNA of PIF-dependent rho clones. This signal is not recognized in pif mutants. Sequence analysis of a series of small (<300 bp) overlapping tandem rho genomes located in the ery region of the 21S rRNA gene led us to identify an essential element of this signal within a 41-bp A+T sequence exhibiting over 26 bp a perfect dyad symmetry. However the recombinogenic signal is not sequence-specific since the sequence described above does not characterize PIF-dependent rho clones located in the oli1 region. Our results rather suggest that the recombinogenic signal is related to the topology of rho DNA. Denaturated sites in the double helix or cruciform structures elicited by local negative supercoiling might be preferred sites of the initiation of recombination.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1985

Repair properties in yeast mitochondrial DNA mutators.

After ethylmethanesulfonate mutagenesis of the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae D273-10B, out of 100,000 survivors, 1,000 were selected for their high production of petite mutants at 36 degrees C. Among these 1,000 mutators, 5 also showed an increased frequency of spontaneous point mutations measured at 25 degrees C. Further analysis revealed that in all mutators, except 2, petite accumulation proceeded at 25 degrees C as well as 36 degrees C. In these 2 mutants, the production of petite mutants was much higher at 36 degrees C than at 35 degrees C. In one of them, however, the mutator and the thermosensitive petite phenotypes were due to mutations in two unlinked nuclear genes. In the other mutants, both traits were the result of a mutation in a single nuclear gene. The mutators fell into three complementation groups (tpm1, tpm2, mup1). No complementation was observed between tpm1 mutants and the gam4 mutant previously described by Foury and Goffeau (1979). From the latter and the present works, only four complementation groups (gam1, gam2, gam4 or tpm1, mup1) have been identified and it is likely that the number of genes controlling specifically the spontaneous mutability of the mtDNA is low. The mutators exhibited a variety of responses to damaging agents such as UV light and ethidium bromide; especially in a representative mutant from the complementation group tpm1, the induction of rho- mutants was sensitive to UV light and resistant to ethidium bromide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

DNA Repair↗

PubMed1983

pif mutation blocks recombination between mitochondrial rho+ and rho- genomes having tandemly arrayed repeat units in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Three allelic nuclear mutants affected in the recombination of mtDNA have been characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and assigned to the PIF locus. In the mutants, the general recombination measured by the recombination frequency between linked or unlinked alleles is normal. However, the pif mutations prevent the integration into the rho+ genome of the markers (oli1, oli2, diu1, ery, oxi1, oxi2) of those rho- genomes that have tandemly arrayed repeat units. Therefore, these rho- genomes characterize a PIF-dependent recombination system. The pif mutations have also revealed the existence of a PIF-independent recombination system used by those rho- genomes that have an inverted organization of their repeat units. The markers of such palindromic rho- genomes exhibit high integration frequency into the rho+ genome even in the presence of the pif mutation. In addition, the pif mutations greatly increase suppressiveness in crosses between pif rho+ strains and PIF-dependent as well as PIF-independent rho- clones. We conclude that the recombination between rho+ and rho- genomes involves at least two distinct systems that depend on the organization of the rho- genome.

Alleles↗

PubMed1982

Endonucleases in yeast mitochondria: apurinic and manganese-stimulated deoxyribonuclease activities in the inner mitochondrial membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An apurinic endonuclease activity has been characterized in yeast mitochondrial. It is dependent on Mg2+, stimulated by about 50% in the presence of 50 mM NaCl and inhibited at higher NaCl concentrations. It is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and requires high concentrations of detergent (1.5-3% Triton X-100) to be extracted. The same treatment extracts several other endonuclease activities: the two Mg2+-dependent endonuclease activities cleaving double-stranded DNA at pH 7.5 and 5.4 respectively, the ethidium-bromide-stimulated endonuclease activity, the endonuclease activity cleaving single-stranded DNA at pH 7.l5 [Jacquemin-Sablon et al. (1979) Biochemistry, 18, 119-127], and a manganese-stimulated deoxyribonuclease activity cleaving double-stranded DNA at pH 7.5 which has been discovered during the present work. Another endonuclease activity cleaving double-stranded DNA at pH 7.5 in the presence of Mg2+, slightly stimulated by low NaCl concentrations and inhibited by ethidium bromide is extracted from the membrane pellet remaining after the treatment with 1.5% Triton X-100 by a second treatment with 1.5% Triton X-100 plus 1 M KCl. The presence in the mitochondrial membrane of this apurinic endonuclease activity indicates that, like nuclear and prokaryotic DNA, yeast mitochondrial DNA is also subject to specialized repair systems.

Cations, Divalent↗

PubMed1982

Repair of mitochondrial DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Induction of cytoplasmic petite mutants in a nuclear mutant exhibiting thermosensitive mitochondrial deoxyribonuclease activity.

Four nuclear thermosensitive mutants have been obtained in which induction of up 100% cytoplasmic petite mutants (rho-) is observed upon cell incubation at 36 degrees C. For a given incubation time at 36 degrees C, the percentage of rho- is increased by preliminary gamma-ray irradiation. Under these conditions, the induction of rho- is a linear function of the irradiation dose. The retention of genetic information by rho- and of mitochondrial DNA synthesis in vivo and in vitro exclude that the mutants are deficient in the replication of mitochondrial DNA. The degradation of mitochondrial DNA labeled with [3H]dTTP in isolated mitochondria, has been monitored at 26 degrees C and at 36 degrees C after addition of 0.5% Triton X-100 in the presence or in the absence of ethidium bromide. In assays carried out at 26 degrees C, the degradation of mitochondrial DNA is similar in the parental strain and in the mutant gamma s rho 2. However, at 36 degrees C, the degradation of mitochondrial DNA is slower in the mutant. We have shown that a mitochondrial membrane deoxyribonuclease acting on double-stranded DNA at acid pH is thermosensitive in the mutant. Analysis of the meiotic segregants of a tetrad issued from the cross of the mutant with an isogenic parental strain shows co-segregation of rho- induction and of nuclease thermosensitivity in a 2:2 Mendelian pattern. These results suggest that a mitochondrial deoxyribonuclease is involved in the repair of damages caused to mitochondrial DNA by elevated temperature and by x-rays.

DNA Repair↗