scholarly journals Cryo-EM structure of the mitochondrial protein-import channel TOM complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Tucker ◽  
Eunyong Park

AbstractNearly all mitochondrial proteins are encoded by the nuclear genome and imported into mitochondria following synthesis on cytosolic ribosomes. These precursor proteins are translocated into mitochondria by the TOM complex, a protein-conducting channel in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Using cryo-EM, we have obtained high-resolution structures of both apo and presequence-bound core TOM complexes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in dimeric and tetrameric forms. Dimeric TOM consists of two copies each of five proteins arranged in two-fold symmetry—Tom40, a pore-forming β-barrel with an overall negatively-charged inner surface, and four auxiliary α-helical transmembrane proteins. The structure suggests that presequences for mitochondrial targeting insert into the Tom40 channel mainly by electrostatic and polar interactions. The tetrameric complex is essentially a dimer of dimeric TOM, which may be capable of forming higher-order oligomers. Our study reveals the molecular organization of the TOM complex and provides new insights about the mechanism of protein translocation into mitochondria.

2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (44) ◽  
pp. 45701-45707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Esaki ◽  
Hidaka Shimizu ◽  
Tomoko Ono ◽  
Hayashi Yamamoto ◽  
Takashi Kanamori ◽  
...  

Protein translocation across the outer mitochondrial membrane is mediated by the translocator called the TOM (translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane) complex. The TOM complex possesses two presequence binding sites on the cytosolic side (thecissite) and on the intermembrane space side (thetranssite). Here we analyzed the requirement of presequence elements and subunits of the TOM complex for presequence binding to thecisandtranssites of the TOM complex. The N-terminal 14 residues of the presequence of subunit 9 of F0-ATPase are required for binding to thetranssite. The interaction between the presequence and thecissite is not sufficient to anchor the precursor protein to the TOM complex. Tom7 constitutes or is close to thetranssite and has overlapping functions with the C-terminal intermembrane space domain of Tom22 in the mitochondrial protein import.


Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 432
Author(s):  
Hope I. Needs ◽  
Margherita Protasoni ◽  
Jeremy M. Henley ◽  
Julien Prudent ◽  
Ian Collinson ◽  
...  

The fact that >99% of mitochondrial proteins are encoded by the nuclear genome and synthesised in the cytosol renders the process of mitochondrial protein import fundamental for normal organelle physiology. In addition to this, the nuclear genome comprises most of the proteins required for respiratory complex assembly and function. This means that without fully functional protein import, mitochondrial respiration will be defective, and the major cellular ATP source depleted. When mitochondrial protein import is impaired, a number of stress response pathways are activated in order to overcome the dysfunction and restore mitochondrial and cellular proteostasis. However, prolonged impaired mitochondrial protein import and subsequent defective respiratory chain function contributes to a number of diseases including primary mitochondrial diseases and neurodegeneration. This review focuses on how the processes of mitochondrial protein translocation and respiratory complex assembly and function are interlinked, how they are regulated, and their importance in health and disease.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 4035-4042 ◽  
Author(s):  
D A Court ◽  
F E Nargang ◽  
H Steiner ◽  
R S Hodges ◽  
W Neupert ◽  
...  

Tom22 is an essential component of the protein translocation complex (Tom complex) of the mitochondrial outer membrane. The N-terminal domain of Tom22 functions as a preprotein receptor in cooperation with Tom20. The role of the C-terminal domain of Tom22, which is exposed to the intermembrane space (IMS), in its own assembly into the Tom complex and in the import of other preproteins was investigated. The C-terminal domain of Tom22 is not essential for the targeting and assembly of this protein, as constructs lacking part or all of the IMS domain became imported into mitochondria and assembled into the Tom complex. Mutant strains of Neurospora expressing the truncated Tom22 proteins were generated by a novel procedure. These mutants displayed wild-type growth rates, in contrast to cells lacking Tom22, which are not viable. The import of proteins into the outer membrane and the IMS of isolated mutant mitochondria was not affected. Some but not all preproteins destined for the matrix and inner membrane were imported less efficiently. The reduced import was not due to impaired interaction of presequences with their specific binding site on the trans side of the outer membrane. Rather, the IMS domain of Tom22 appears to slightly enhance the efficiency of the transfer of these preproteins to the import machinery of the inner membrane.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Cavalier-Smith

I discuss eukaryotic deep phylogeny and reclassify the basal eukaryotic kingdom Protozoa and derived kingdom Chromista in the light of multigene trees. I transfer the formerly protozoan Heliozoa and infrakingdoms Alveolata and Rhizaria into Chromista, which is sister to kingdom Plantae and arguably originated by synergistic double internal enslavement of green algal and red algal cells. I establish new subkingdoms (Harosa; Hacrobia) for the expanded Chromista. The protozoan phylum Euglenozoa differs immensely from other eukaryotes in its nuclear genome organization (trans-spliced multicistronic transcripts), mitochondrial DNA organization, cytochrome c -type biogenesis, cell structure and arguably primitive mitochondrial protein-import and nuclear DNA prereplication machineries. The bacteria-like absence of mitochondrial outer-membrane channel Tom40 and DNA replication origin-recognition complexes from trypanosomatid Euglenozoa roots the eukaryotic tree between Euglenozoa and all other eukaryotes (neokaryotes), or within Euglenozoa. Given their unique properties, I segregate Euglenozoa from infrakingdom Excavata (now comprising only phyla Percolozoa, Loukozoa, Metamonada), grouping infrakingdoms Euglenozoa and Excavata as the ancestral protozoan subkingdom Eozoa. I place phylum Apusozoa within the derived protozoan subkingdom Sarcomastigota. Clarifying early eukaryote evolution requires intensive study of properties distinguishing Euglenozoa from neokaryotes and Eozoa from neozoa (eukaryotes except Eozoa; ancestrally defined by haem lyase).


2016 ◽  
Vol 214 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejana Mokranjac

Most mitochondrial proteins are imported through the TIM23 translocation channel, the structure and molecular nature of which are still unclear. In this issue, Ramesh et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201602074) show that the TIM23 subunit Tim17 contains a disulfide bond that is crucial for protein translocation and channel gating.


2009 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasushi Tamura ◽  
Yoshihiro Harada ◽  
Takuya Shiota ◽  
Koji Yamano ◽  
Kazuaki Watanabe ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial protein traffic requires coordinated operation of protein translocator complexes in the mitochondrial membrane. The TIM23 complex translocates and inserts proteins into the mitochondrial inner membrane. Here we analyze the intermembrane space (IMS) domains of Tim23 and Tim50, which are essential subunits of the TIM23 complex, in these functions. We find that interactions of Tim23 and Tim50 in the IMS facilitate transfer of precursor proteins from the TOM40 complex, a general protein translocator in the outer membrane, to the TIM23 complex. Tim23–Tim50 interactions also facilitate a late step of protein translocation across the inner membrane by promoting motor functions of mitochondrial Hsp70 in the matrix. Therefore, the Tim23–Tim50 pair coordinates the actions of the TOM40 and TIM23 complexes together with motor proteins for mitochondrial protein import.


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