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Biomedical subjects

Hiromi Sesaki

Publications and source records attributed to Hiromi Sesaki.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Ups1p, a conserved intermembrane space protein, regulates mitochondrial shape and alternative topogenesis of Mgm1p.

Mgm1p is a conserved dynamin-related GTPase required for fusion, morphology, inheritance, and the genome maintenance of mitochondria in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mgm1p undergoes unconventional processing to produce two functional isoforms by alternative topogenesis. Alternative topogenesis involves bifurcate sorting in the inner membrane and intramembrane proteolysis by the rhomboid protease Pcp1p. Here, we identify Ups1p, a novel mitochondrial protein required for the unique processing of Mgm1p and for normal mitochondrial shape. Our results demonstrate that Ups1p regulates the sorting of Mgm1p in the inner membrane. Consistent with its function, Ups1p is peripherally associated with the inner membrane in the intermembrane space. Moreover, the human homologue of Ups1p, PRELI, can fully replace Ups1p in yeast cells. Together, our findings provide a conserved mechanism for the alternative topogenesis of Mgm1p and control of mitochondrial morphology.

GTP-Binding Proteins↗

Ugo1p links the Fzo1p and Mgm1p GTPases for mitochondrial fusion.

In yeast, mitochondrial fusion requires Ugo1p and two GTPases, Fzo1p and Mgm1p. Ugo1p is anchored in the mitochondrial outer membrane with its N terminus facing the cytosol and C terminus in the intermembrane space. Fzo1p is also an outer membrane protein, whereas Mgm1p is located in the intermembrane space. Recent studies suggest that these three proteins form protein complexes that mediate mitochondrial fusion. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic domain of Ugo1p directly interacts with Fzo1p, whereas its intermembrane space domain binds to Mgm1p. We identified the Ugo1p-binding site in Fzo1p and demonstrated that Ugo1p-Fzo1p interaction is essential for the formation of mitochondrial shape, maintenance of mitochondrial DNA, and fusion of mitochondria. Although the GTPase domains of Fzo1p and Mgm1p regulate mitochondrial fusion, they were not required for association with Ugo1p. Furthermore, we found that Ugo1p bridges the interaction between Fzo1p and Mgm1p in mitochondria. Our data indicate that distinct regions of Ugo1p bind directly to Fzo1p and Mgm1p and thereby link these two GTPases during mitochondrial fusion.

Binding Sites↗

Mitochondrial building blocks.

Despite many genomic and proteomic attempts, approximately half of all mitochondrial proteins remain unidentified. Moreover, the composition of mitochondria varies in different mammalian cell types and the details of this tissue specificity are unclear. Two recent reports provide a major advance in our understanding of mitochondrial function. Sickmann et al. used an exhaustive proteomic approach and came very close to identifying the complete set of yeast mitochondrial proteins. Mootha et al. examined mitochondria from mouse brain, heart, kidney and liver cells, finding that a surprising fraction of the proteins are expressed in only a subset of tissues.

Animals↗

Cells lacking Pcp1p/Ugo2p, a rhomboid-like protease required for Mgm1p processing, lose mtDNA and mitochondrial structure in a Dnm1p-dependent manner, but remain competent for mitochondrial fusion.

The dynamin-related GTPase, Mgm1p, is critical for the fusion of the mitochondrial outer membrane, maintenance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), formation of normal inner membrane structures, and inheritance of mitochondria. Although there are two forms of Mgm1p, 100 and 90 kDa, their respective functions and the mechanism by which these two forms are produced are not clear. We previously isolated ugo2 mutants in a genetic screen to identify components involved in mitochondrial fusion [J. Cell Biol. 152 (2001) 1123]. In this paper, we show that ugo2 mutants are defective in PCP1, a gene encoding a rhomboid-related serine protease. Cells lacking Pcp1p are defective in the processing of Mgm1p and produce only the larger (100 kDa) form of Mgm1p. Similar to mgm1delta cells, pcp1delta cells contain partially fragmented mitochondria, instead of the long tubular branched mitochondria of wild-type cells. In addition, pcp1delta cells, like mgm1delta cells, lack mtDNA and therefore are unable to grow on nonfermentable medium. Mutations in the catalytic domain lead to complete loss of Pcp1p function. Similar to mgm1delta cells, the fragmentation of mitochondria and loss of mtDNA of pcp1delta cells were rescued when mitochondrial division was blocked by inactivating Dnm1p, a dynamin-related GTPase. Surprisingly, in contrast to mgm1delta cells, which are completely defective in mitochondrial fusion, pcp1delta cells can fuse their mitochondria after yeast cell mating. Our study demonstrates that Pcp1p is required for the processing of Mgm1p and controls normal mitochondrial shape and mtDNA maintenance by producing the 90 kDa form of Mgm1p. However, the processing of Mgm1p is not strictly required for mitochondrial fusion, indicating that the 100 kDa form is sufficient to promote fusion.

Alleles↗

Mgm1p, a dynamin-related GTPase, is essential for fusion of the mitochondrial outer membrane.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mitochondrial fusion requires at least two outer membrane proteins, Fzo1p and Ugo1p. We provide direct evidence that the dynamin-related Mgm1 protein is also required for mitochondrial fusion. Like fzo1 and ugo1 mutants, cells disrupted for the MGM1 gene contain numerous mitochondrial fragments instead of the few long, tubular organelles seen in wild-type cells. Fragmentation of mitochondria in mgm1 mutants is rescued by disrupting DNM1, a gene required for mitochondrial division. In zygotes formed by mating mgm1 mutants, mitochondria do not fuse and mix their contents. Introducing mutations in the GTPase domain of Mgm1p completely block mitochondrial fusion. Furthermore, we show that mgm1 mutants fail to fuse both their mitochondrial outer and inner membranes. Electron microscopy demonstrates that although mgm1 mutants display aberrant mitochondrial inner membrane cristae, mgm1 dnm1 double mutants restore normal inner membrane structures. However, mgm1 dnm1 mutants remain defective in mitochondrial fusion, indicating that mitochondrial fusion requires Mgm1p regardless of the morphology of mitochondria. Finally, we find that Mgm1p, Fzo1p, and Ugo1p physically interact in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Our results raise the possibility that Mgm1p regulates fusion of the mitochondrial outer membrane through its interactions with Fzo1p and Ugo1p.

DNA, Mitochondrial↗