Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maithili Saoji, Aditya Sen, Rachel T. Cox
Summary: The study revealed the subtle functions of mtRNase P in vivo, showing that the loss of a specific member can lead to different cleavage effects, which may improve the understanding of human diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jessica M. Warren, Thalia Salinas-Giege, Deborah A. Triant, Douglas R. Taylor, Laurence Drouard, Daniel B. Sloan
Summary: Research on mitochondrial genomes of Silene plants reveals the process of tRNA gene loss and replacement, as well as the import of nuclear-encoded tRNAs. Even in systems with recent mitochondrial tRNA gene loss, nuclear-encoded counterparts may likely replace mitochondrial tRNAs, providing insight into the evolutionary history of plant mitochondrial genomes.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jessica M. Warren, Amanda K. Broz, Ana Martinez-Hottovy, Christian Elowsky, Alan C. Christensen, Daniel B. Sloan
Summary: The number of tRNAs encoded in plant mitochondrial genomes varies considerably. The loss of bacterial-like mitochondrial tRNA genes necessitates the import of nuclear-encoded counterparts with little sequence similarity. The evolution of aaRS subcellular localization in Sileneae reveals differing constraints on tRNA/aaRS interactions and alternative coevolutionary paths for maintaining organellar translation in plant cells.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Samuel Rout, Silke Oeljeklaus, Abhijith Makki, Jan Tachezy, Bettina Warscheid, Andre Schneider
Summary: The study reveals that the mitochondrial import receptors ATOM46 and ATOM69 of Trypanosoma brucei have different substrate preferences, with ATOM46 favoring hydrophilic proteins and ATOM69 preferring hydrophobic substrates. While ATOM46 mainly uses electrostatic interactions for substrate binding, ATOM69 primarily uses hydrophobic interactions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Eduardo Ruiz-Pesini, Julio Montoya, David Pacheu-Grau
Summary: In human mitochondria, mtDNA encodes a small fraction of proteins while the majority are encoded by the nuclear genome and imported into mitochondria through various import machineries. Proper coordination of these molecular pathways is crucial for mitochondrial homeostasis. Studying these pathways is important for understanding and expanding the genetic landscape of mitochondrial diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naintara Jain, Ridhima Gomkale, Olaf Bernhard, Peter Rehling, Luis Daniel Cruz-Zaragoza
Summary: Mitochondria play a crucial role in cellular energy production and metabolism, and errors in mitochondrial protein import can lead to metabolic disorders. This study establishes a fluorescence-based import assay to analyze protein import into mitochondria, offering the advantage of quantifying import with high sensitivity. The assay can be adapted to a screening-compatible format and used to monitor the assembly of the F1F0 ATP synthase in purified mitochondria.
Article
Biology
Liam P. Coyne, Xiaowen Wang, Jiyao Song, Ebbing de Jong, Karin Schneider, Paul T. Massa, Frank A. Middleton, Thomas Becker, Xin Jie Chen
Summary: This study reveals that amino acid substitutions in a single substrate preprotein can disrupt protein traffic into mitochondria, impair mitochondrial function and cell viability. The mutant Aac2/ANT1 shows extreme toxicity in yeast and leads to muscle disease in mice. These findings highlight the importance of avoiding clogging in mitochondrial carrier proteins for preventing disease.
Article
Biology
Holly C. Ford, William J. Allen, Goncalo C. Pereira, Xia Liu, Mark Simon Dillingham, Ian Collinson
Summary: This article describes the import process of mitochondrial proteins and the research progress in understanding its mechanisms. Using a newly developed assay based on split NanoLuc luciferase, researchers found that the size and net charge of pre-sequences influence the import process, which is driven by the transmembrane potential and ATP hydrolysis. The study also revealed the functional differences between the two membranes involved in the import process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jorge Diaz-Rullo, Jose Eduardo Gonzalez-Pastor
Summary: In this study, we developed a novel bioinformatic strategy to predict Q-genes and found that these genes are widely enriched in cellular functions, especially in biofilm formation and virulence in bacteria, particularly in human pathogens. Experimental validation showed that altering the level of tRNA Q-modification significantly affected these physiological processes in different model bacteria, representing the first report of a general mechanism controlling biofilm formation and virulence in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, we propose that changes in Q availability in a microbiome would impact its functionality. These findings open new avenues for the control of bacterial infections and biofilm formation by inhibiting tRNA Q-modification.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Samuel A. Killackey, Yuntian Bi, Dana J. Philpott, Damien Arnoult, Stephen E. Girardin
Summary: Mitochondrial protein import stress has been identified as a potential common trigger for mitophagy, offering new avenues for therapeutic exploration and mechanistic insights.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yasutoshi Akiyama, Yoshika Takenaka, Tomoko Kasahara, Takaaki Abe, Yoshihisa Tomioka, Pavel Ivanov
Summary: Under stress conditions, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are cleaved to produce tiRNAs, which are negatively regulated by the RTCB ligase complex. RTCB-LC can repair tiRNAs to full-length tRNAs in vitro. Hydrogen peroxide enhances tiRNA production under stress conditions by inhibiting RTCB-LC.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Zheng Zhou, Bao Sun, Dongsheng Yu, Meng Bian
Summary: tRNAs, traditionally seen as housekeepers, are now known to play important roles in various physiological and pathological processes, including aging and lifespan regulation.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Alena Kroupova, Fabian Ackle, Igor Asanovic, Stefan Weitzer, Franziska M. Boneberg, Marco Faini, Alexander Leitner, Alessia Chui, Ruedi Aebersold, Javier Martinez, Martin Jinek
Summary: RtcB enzymes are RNA ligases that are essential for various cellular processes, including tRNA splicing and RNA repair. In metazoa, RtcB functions as part of a larger tRNA ligase complex, with different subunits playing crucial roles in maintaining complex integrity. The crystal structures of key subunits provide insights into the catalytic mechanism and molecular architecture of the human tRNA ligase complex, shedding light on its functions in cellular RNA metabolism.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Steffen Reinbothe, Claudia Rossig, John Gray, Sachin Rustgi, Diter von Wettstein, Christiane Reinbothe, Joachim Rassow
Summary: A protein complex has been identified that facilitates the import of AaRS and tRNA into the mitochondria of Arabidopsis thaliana, shedding light on the process of transport of cytosolic AaRS and tRNA into mitochondria.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kunal Chatterjee, William A. Marshall, Anita K. Hopper
Summary: This study identifies a new tRNA nuclear exporter and reveals exporter preferences for specific tRNA families. Additionally, it demonstrates the importance of tRNA nuclear import in tRNA quality control.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kun He, Mengyi Xie, Weifeng Hong, Yonghe Li, Yaolin Yin, Xiaojin Gao, Yi He, Yu Chen, Chuan You, Jingdong Li
Summary: Centromere protein L (CENPL) is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with poor patient prognosis. Upregulation of CENPL promotes tumor proliferation and glycolysis in HCC cells by activating the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yingzi Wang, Haozhong Huang, Huimin Weng, Chunsen Jia, Bin Liao, Yang Long, Fengxu Yu, Yongmei Nie
Summary: Talin protein plays a crucial role in transmitting mechanical forces by connecting the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton. It converts mechanical signals into biochemical signals and serves as diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic indicators in diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hema Saranya Ilamathi, Marc Germain
Summary: Mitochondria are the central metabolic hubs in cells, relying on proteins encoded by nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) for their function. The maintenance and distribution of mtDNA are crucial for proper mitochondrial function and are associated with mitochondrial diseases. mtDNA is organized into nucleoids that dynamically move and interact with each other. The replication and distribution of mtDNA nucleoids are regulated by the complex interplay of mitochondrial dynamics, ER-mitochondria contact sites, and cytoskeletal networks.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
K. K. Sruthi, Sirisha Natani, Ramesh Ummanni
Summary: The overexpression of TPD52 is associated with the emergence of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). TPD52 activates the NF-kappa B - STAT3 axis to induce neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) of prostate cancer cells. Therapeutic targeting of TPD52 is important for the treatment of prostate cancer.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cui Li, Feifan Xiang, Yuqi Gong, Yi Fu, Ge Chen, Zhi Wang, Zhong Li, Daiqing Wei
Summary: Our study demonstrates the significant role of tumor-derived microparticles (T-MPs) in osteosarcoma metastasis and immune response. T-MPs promote macrophage polarization and stimulate migration and chemoresistance of osteosarcoma cells, thereby affecting the progression of osteosarcoma.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
(2024)
