通过同源搜索分析线粒体蛋白转运系统的进化

基于酵母线粒体蛋白转运系统的35个亚基,作者通过同源查找的方法,在27个不同进化层次物种的蛋白组和基因组序列中搜索线粒体蛋白转运系统亚基的同源序列,利用序列之间的同源关系进而构建线粒体蛋白转运系统的进化史.结果显示,线粒体蛋白转运系统的35个亚基中有6个可以在原核物种中找到同源序列,显示了它们的原核起源;线粒体蛋白转运系统的核心亚基出现在真核生物进化早期;其他亚基在真核物种的不同进化分枝中表现出了多样性,并且可以看到一些物种特异性亚基.     

酿酒酵母线粒体蛋白转运系统在立克次体中的同源分析

进化分析表明,与线粒体亲缘关系最近的原核生物是立克次体(Rickettsia prowazekii).搜索酿酒酵母(Saccharom ycescerevisia)线粒体蛋白转运系统的35个亚基在立克次体中的同源蛋白质,仅发现了5个同源蛋白,且它们只属于转运系统在线粒体外膜和基质上的模块,没有发现转运系统在膜间隙和内膜...     

类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白的研究进展

在对类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白(steroidogenic acute regulatory protein,StAR)的结构、基因特征和分布进行综述的基础上,阐述了StAR及其同源蛋白的转运功能.在类固醇激素细胞中,StarD4将胆固醇转运到线粒体外膜,StAR将胆固醇从线粒体外膜转运到内膜.影响StAR的表达包括正向和负向调节因子,它们间接地影响类固醇激素的合成.研究认为,在类固醇激素合成中,StAR同源蛋白的转运功能与StAR的调控机制有待整合,改变StAR表达的某些影响因子所导致动物生殖内分泌的异常应引起关注.     

利用酵母双杂交系统筛选甘蓝型油菜ATP6的相互作用蛋白质

通过酵母双杂交系统,以ATP6作为诱饵蛋白筛选与ATP6有相互作用的蛋白质.通过筛选和鉴定,获得了5个与ATP6有相互作用的蛋白质.其中一个与拟南芥中内质网膜上的蛋白转运复合体中的α亚基（Sec61α）有很高的相似性.通过TAIL PCR和设计简并引物扩增初步得到了甘蓝型油菜Sec61α全长基因组序列和cDNA序列.并利用生物信息学分析手段对甘蓝型油菜Sec61α进行了比对和分析,推测该蛋白质可能参与了花粉的发育过程.     

大熊猫核糖体蛋白S12亚基基因(rpS12)的cDNA克隆及序列分析

根据已报道的部分哺乳动物核糖体蛋白S12亚基基因(rpS12)的相关信息设计引物,运用RT-PCR技术,从大熊猫的肌肉组织总RNA中成功克隆了核糖体蛋白S12亚基基因的表达序列,对其进行了克隆、测序及分析.结果表明:大熊猫核糖体蛋白S12亚基基因的表达序列全长为422bp,开放阅读框(ORF)为399bp,编码132个氨基酸的蛋白质,该蛋白的相对分子质量为1.45×104,PI为6.81,含有1个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点,3个N-豆蔻酰化位点和一个核糖体蛋白S12 signature位点.该基因的表达序列及其编码的氨基酸序列与已报道的部分哺乳动物有很高的相似性.     

人类干细胞线粒体外膜蛋白PPI网络构建与分析

线粒体上多种膜蛋白既在细胞能量代谢中起关键作用,同时也参与细胞凋亡的调节,其功能障碍将直接或间接引起多种疾病.本研究从公共数据库MitoMiner,SwissProt和MitoP2中的线粒体外膜蛋白数据,同时获取了15个人类干细胞不同条件下的转录组数据集,利用生物信息学方法筛选并除去冗余数据,获得具有文献支持的高可信度的干细胞线粒体外膜蛋白清单.进一步利用BioGRID数据库找出对应PPI关系数据,采用Cytoscape绘制出直观的PPI网络图.分析结果表明,hub节点蛋白ATF2、DDX3X和BCL2的链接数均超过90,半数以上的外膜蛋白链接数超过10.GO和KEGG分析结果表明,与线粒体外膜蛋白相关的蛋白富集的功能为细胞凋亡和代谢途径.分析结果提示了线粒体外膜蛋白相关蛋白参与的主要生物学途径,为后续线粒体的深入研究提供有价值信息.     

大熊猫核糖体蛋白L30亚基基因(RPL30)的cDNA克隆及序列分析

RPL30是核糖体大亚基60S的组成部分,由RPL30基因所编码,主要存在于真核生物中.根据已报道的部分哺乳动物核糖体蛋白L30亚基基因(RPL30)的相关信息设计引物,运用RT-PCR技术,以大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)的肌肉组织为材料,成功地克隆了核糖体蛋白L30亚基RPL30基因,并对其进行了测序及初步分析.结果表明:大熊猫L30亚基基因的表达序列长为388bp,开放阅读框(ORF)为348 bp,编码115个氨基酸的蛋白质,并含有6个功能位点.进一步分析发现,该基因的表达序列及其编码的氨基酸序列与已报道的人、牛、褐家鼠、小家鼠有很高的相似性,其表达序列同源性分别为93.97%,96.26%,89.66%和89.94%,其编码的氨基酸序列同源性分别为99.13%,98.26%,99.13%,99.13%,且其蛋白质的高级结构相似性也很高.     

中华绒螯蟹线粒体COⅡ基因全序列测定

通过克隆测序方法,报道了中华绒螯蟹（Eriocheir japonica sinensis)线粒体细胞色素氧化酶亚基Ⅱ(COⅡ）基因全序列,与已知甲壳动物线粒体同源序列的比较显示,绒裂蟹COⅡ基因的核苷酸组成及其编码的氨基酸组成与软甲类甲壳动物最相近似。其序列组成与密码子使用对A、T核苷酸没有明显的偏倚,对中华绒螯蟹COⅡ全序列及其序列特征的研究,为进一步研究短尾类的系统发生和绒螯蟹属的分子进化提供了分子标记。     

日本囊对虾电压门控钠通道基因克隆与组织表达

利用基因克隆等分子生物学技术,获得日本囊对虾(Marsupenaeus ja ponicus)的电压门控钠通道(voltage-gate sodium channel,VGSC)蛋白的部分eDNA序列,获得的片段核苷酸长度为2 877 bp,可编码954个氨基酸残基,总分子质量约为108.2 ku.与同源蛋白比较结果显示,日本囊对虾的VGSC序列与其他一些物种具有较高相似性,特别是跨膜蛋白结构域具有极高的保守性.基于VGSC氨基酸序列比对绘制的系统树基本能够反映出各物种间的进化关系.以RT-PCR法检测日本囊对虾VGSC的组织表达,结果显示VGSC表达与各组织的功能有极其密切的关系.VGSC mRNA在脑神经节中表达量最高,其次为肝胰腺,说明了钠通道在神经信号传导以及调节内分泌中都起到了重要的作用.     

委内瑞拉产地龙须菜藻红蛋白基因的克隆及其系统学研究

本文报道了红藻Gracilaria lemanei formis委内瑞拉株的藻红蛋白基因的部分序列，将序列与其它红藻-Rhodella violacea，Polysiphonia boldii，Griffithsia monolis，Porphyra tenera，phyra yezoensis及青岛产龙须菜的相应序列对齐后，进行了系统学研究。结果显示，同一属的藻白α和β亚基之间的间隔序列，从长度到核苷酸序列均非常相似，而同一科不同属或同一目的科该序列有很大的不同；两不同产地龙须菜的PE基因在β亚基上的转换多于颠换，说明β亚基比α基保守；委内瑞拉来源龙须菜与青岛产地龙须菜可能不属于同一物种，应为同属不同种关系；由蛋白基因所得的系统树包括3个与建立在形态标准上的遗传位置一致的分支；藻红蛋白基因序用于种间及更高地位的分子系统研究。     

Isolation and characterization of the gene for a yeast mitochondrial import receptor

We have previously identified an integral membrane protein (p32) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a receptor for protein import into mitochondria, and have localized it to the mitochondrial outer membrane at contact sites. Here we report isolation of the corresponding mitochondrial import receptor gene, termed MIR1. The deduced amino-acid sequence of p32 shows roughly 40% identity with proteins of bovine heart and rat liver that have been suggested to be mitochondrial phosphate carriers. Haploid cells carrying a disrupted MIR1 allele were unable to grow on a non-fermentable carbon source but grew in media containing glucose, indicating that the MIR1 protein is essential for mitochondrial function. Compared with wild type, amounts of some mitochondrial proteins were markedly reduced in cells containing a disrupted MIR1 allele, whereas levels of others were unchanged. This indicates that yeast contains more than one pathway for protein import into mitochondria.     

Rapid regulation of steroidogenesis by mitochondrial protein import

Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes and imported into mitochondria. The imported proteins are directed to one of four submitochondrial compartments--the outer mitochondrial membrane, the inner mitochondrial membrane, the intramembraneous space, or the matrix--where the protein then functions. Here we show that the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), a mitochondrial protein required for stress responses, reproduction, and sexual differentiation of male fetuses, exerts its activity transiently at the outer mitochondrial membrane rather than at its final resting place in the matrix. We also show that its residence time at this outer membrane and its activity are regulated by its speed of mitochondrial import. This may be the first example of a mitochondrial protein exerting its biological activity in a compartment other than that to which it is finally targeted. This system enables steroidogenic cells to initiate and terminate massive levels of steroidogenesis within a few minutes, permitting the rapid regulation of serum steroid hormone concentrations.     

Mapping of the protein import machinery in the mitochondrial outer membrane by crosslinking of translocation intermediates.

Mitochondria contain a complex machinery for the import of nuclear-encoded proteins. Receptor proteins exposed on the outer membrane surface are required for the specific binding of precursor proteins to mitochondria, either by binding of cytosolic signal recognition factors or by direct recognition of the precursor polypeptides. Subsequently, the precursors are inserted into the outer membrane at the general insertion site GIP (general insertion protein). Here we report the analysis of receptors and GIP by crosslinking of translocation intermediates and by coimmunoprecipitation. Surface-accumulated precursors were crosslinked to the receptors MOM19 and MOM72, suggesting a direct interaction of preproteins with surface receptors. We identified three novel mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, MOM7, MOM8, and MOM30 that, together with the previously identified MOM38, seem to form the GIP site and are present in the mitochondrial receptor complex.     

Identification of a receptor for protein import into mitochondria

Anti-idiotypic antibodies, prepared using a chemically synthesized signal peptide of a mitochondrial precursor protein, recognized a mitochondrial integral membrane protein (p32). Fab fragments derived from both anti-idiotypic antibodies and monospecific antibodies against purified p32 inhibited protein import into mitochondria. Moreover, anti-p32 antibodies specifically immunoprecipitated a precursor-p32 complex after detergent solubilization of mitochondria. Immunoelectron microscopy and subfractionation of mitochondria indicate that p32 is located in contact sites between the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes.     

A 42K outer-membrane protein is a component of the yeast mitochondrial protein import site

An engineered precursor protein that sticks in the import site of isolated yeast mitochondria can be specifically photo-crosslinked to a mitochondrial outer-membrane protein of relative molecular mass 42,000 (42K). This protein (termed import-site protein 42 or ISP 42) is exposed on the mitochondrial surface; antibodies against it block protein import into mitochondria. ISP 42 is the first identified component of the putative transmembrane machinery that imports proteins into mitochondria.     

Tom22 is a multifunctional organizer of the mitochondrial preprotein translocase.

Mitochondrial preproteins are imported by a multisubunit translocase of the outer membrane (TOM), including receptor proteins and a general import pore. The central receptor Tom22 binds preproteins through both its cytosolic domain and its intermembrane space domain and is stably associated with the channel protein Tom40 (refs 11-13). Here we report the unexpected observation that a yeast strain can survive without Tom22, although it is strongly reduced in growth and the import of mitochondrial proteins. Tom22 is a multifunctional protein that is required for the higher-level organization of the TOM machinery. In the absence of Tom22, the translocase dissociates into core complexes, representing the basic import units, but lacks a tight control of channel gating. The single membrane anchor of Tom22 is required for a stable interaction between the core complexes, whereas its cytosolic domain serves as docking point for the peripheral receptors Tom20 and Tom70. Thus a preprotein translocase can combine receptor functions with distinct organizing roles in a multidomain protein.     

A family of mitochondrial proteins involved in bioenergetICS and biogenesis

The respiratory chain complexes of mitochondria consist of many different subunits, of which only a few partake directly in electron transport. The functions of the subunits that do not contain prosthetic groups are largely unknown. The cytochrome reductase complex of Neurospora crassa, for examine, consists of nine different subunits, of which the peripheral membrane proteins I and II (ref.3) that are located on the matrix side of the mitochondrial inner membrane are the largest subunits devoid of redox centres. Significantly, a cytochrome reductase fraction lacking these two subunits was inactive in electron transfer, and in yeast mutants with defective genes for either of the two subunits, assembly of the reductase is disrupted. Most mitochondrial proteins are imported into the mitochondrion as precursor proteins, and two proteins are necessary for cleaving their presequences, namely the matrix processing peptidase (MPP) and the processing enhancing protein (PEP), the latter strongly stimulating the activity of the former. Temperature-sensitive yeast mutants, which are affected in PEP or MPP, accumulate precursors at the nonpermissive temperature. We report here that subunit I of the cytochrome reductase can be grouped as members of the same protein family.     

Evolutionary conservation of biogenesis of beta-barrel membrane proteins

The outer membranes of mitochondria and chloroplasts are distinguished by the presence of beta-barrel membrane proteins. The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria also harbours beta-barrel proteins. In mitochondria these proteins fulfil a variety of functions such as transport of small molecules (porin/VDAC), translocation of proteins (Tom40) and regulation of mitochondrial morphology (Mdm10). These proteins are encoded by the nucleus, synthesized in the cytosol, targeted to mitochondria as chaperone-bound species, recognized by the translocase of the outer membrane, and then inserted into the outer membrane where they assemble into functional oligomers. Whereas some knowledge has been accumulated on the pathways of insertion of proteins that span cellular membranes with alpha-helical segments, very little is known about how beta-barrel proteins are integrated into lipid bilayers and assembled into oligomeric structures. Here we describe a protein complex that is essential for the topogenesis of mitochondrial outer membrane beta-barrel proteins (TOB). We present evidence that important elements of the topogenesis of beta-barrel membrane proteins have been conserved during the evolution of mitochondria from endosymbiotic bacterial ancestors.     

DNA-protein conjugates can enter mitochondria via the protein import pathway

Mitochondria import most of their proteins and small molecules from the cytoplasm. There is some tentative evidence that they import some of their RNAs, but it is not known how nucleic acids could enter mitochondria. Here, we show that isolated yeast mitochondria can import a single-stranded or double-stranded 24-base pair piece of DNA whose 5' end is covalently linked to the C-terminus of a mitochondrial precursor protein.     

YidC mediates membrane protein insertion in bacteria

The basic machinery for the translocation of proteins into or across membranes is remarkably conserved from Escherichia coli to humans. In eukaryotes, proteins are inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum using the signal recognition particle (SRP) and the SRP receptor, as well as the integral membrane Sec61 trimeric complex (composed of alpha, beta and gamma subunits). In bacteria, most proteins are inserted by a related pathway that includes the SRP homologue Ffh, the SRP receptor FtsY, and the SecYEG trimeric complex, where Y and E are related to the Sec61 alpha and gamma subunits, respectively. Proteins in bacteria that exhibit no dependence on the Sec translocase were previously thought to insert into the membrane directly without the aid of a protein machinery. Here we show that membrane insertion of two Sec-independent proteins requires YidC. YidC is essential for E. coli viability and homologues are present in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Depletion of YidC also interferes with insertion of Sec-dependent membrane proteins, but it has only a minor effect on the export of secretory proteins. These results provide evidence for an additional component of the translocation machinery that is specialized for the integration of membrane proteins.