Biomedical subjects

Hermann Schägger

Publications and source records attributed to Hermann Schägger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Cytopathic effects of the cytomegalovirus-encoded apoptosis inhibitory protein vMIA.

Replication of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) requires the expression of the viral mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis (vMIA). vMIA inhibits apoptosis by recruiting Bax to mitochondria, resulting in its neutralization. We show that vMIA decreases cell size, reduces actin polymerization, and induces cell rounding. As compared with vMIA-expressing CMV, vMIA-deficient CMV, which replicates in fibroblasts expressing the adenoviral apoptosis suppressor E1B19K, induces less cytopathic effects. These vMIA effects can be separated from its cell death-inhibitory function because vMIA modulates cellular morphology in Bax-deficient cells. Expression of vMIA coincided with a reduction in the cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level. vMIA selectively inhibited one component of the ATP synthasome, namely, the mitochondrial phosphate carrier. Exposure of cells to inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation produced similar effects, such as an ATP level reduced by 30%, smaller cell size, and deficient actin polymerization. Similarly, knockdown of the phosphate carrier reduced cell size. Our data suggest that the cytopathic effect of CMV can be explained by vMIA effects on mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Actins↗

PubMed2006

Supercomplexes and subcomplexes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.

Dimerization or oligomerization of ATP synthase has been proposed to play an important role for mitochondrial cristae formation and to be involved in regulating ATP synthase activity. We found comparable oligomycin-sensitive ATPase activity for monomeric and oligomeric ATP synthase suggesting that oligomerization/monomerization dynamics are not directly involved in regulating ATP synthase activity. Binding of the natural IF1 inhibitor protein has been shown to induce dimerization of F1-subcomplexes. This suggested that binding of IF1 might also dimerize holo ATP synthase, and possibly link dimerization and inhibition. Analyzing mitochondria of human rho zero cells that contain mitochondria but lack mitochondrial DNA, we identified three subcomplexes of ATP synthase: (i) F1 catalytic domain, (ii) F1-domain with bound IF1, and (iii) F1-c subcomplex with bound IF1 and a ring of subunits c. Since both IF1 containing subcomplexes were present in monomeric state and exhibited considerably reduced ATPase activity as compared to the third subcomplex lacking IF1, we postulate that inhibition and induction of dimerization of F1-subcomplexes by IF1 are independent events. F1-subcomplexes were also found in mitochondria of patients with specific mitochondrial disorders, and turned out to be useful for the clinical differentiation between various types of mitochondrial biosynthesis disorders. Supramolecular associations of respiratory complexes, the "respirasomes", seem not to be the largest assemblies in the structural organization of the respiratory chain, as suggested by differential solubilization of mitochondria and electron microscopic analyses of whole mitochondria. We present a model for a higher supramolecular association of respirasomes into a "respiratory string".

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Subcomplexes of human ATP synthase mark mitochondrial biosynthesis disorders.

OBJECTIVE METHODS: We describe biochemically and clinically relevant aspects of mitochondrial ATP synthase, the enzyme that supplies most ATP for the cells energy demand. RESULTS: Analyzing human Rho zero cells we could identify three subcomplexes of ATP synthase: F1 catalytic domain, F1 domain with bound natural IF1 inhibitor protein, and F1-c subcomplex, an assembly of F1 domain and a ring of F(O)-subunits c. Large amounts of F1 subcomplexes accumulated also in mitochondria of patients with specific mitochondrial disorders. By quantifying the F1 subcomplexes and other oxidative phosphorylation complexes in parallel, we were able to discriminate three classes of defects in mitochondrial biosynthesis, namely, mitochondrial DNA depletion, mitochondrial transfer RNA (tRNA) mutations, and mutations in the mitochondrial ATP6 gene. INTERPRETATION: The relatively simple electrophoretic assay used here is a straightforward approach to differentiate between various types of genetic alterations affecting the biosynthesis of oxidative phosphorylation complexes and will be useful to guide molecular genetic diagnostics in the field of mitochondrial neuromuscular disorders.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2006

Analysis of the synaptic vesicle proteome using three gel-based protein separation techniques.

Synaptic vesicles are key organelles in neurotransmission. Their functions are governed by a unique set of integral and peripherally associated proteins. To obtain a complete protein inventory, we immunoisolated synaptic vesicles from rat brain to high purity and performed a gel-based analysis of the synaptic vesicle proteome. Since the high hydrophobicity of integral membrane proteins hampers their resolution by gel electrophoretic techniques, we applied in parallel three different gel electrophoretic methods for protein separation prior to MS. Synaptic vesicle proteins were subjected to either 1-D SDS-PAGE along with nano-LC ESI-MS/MS or to the 2-D gel electrophoretic techniques benzyldimethyl-n-hexadecylammonium chloride (BAC)/SDS-PAGE, and double SDS (dSDS)-PAGE in combination with MALDI-TOF-MS. We demonstrate that the combination of all three methods provides a comprehensive survey of the proteinaceous inventory of the synaptic vesicle membrane compartment. The identified synaptic vesicle proteins include transporters, soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs), synapsins, rab and rab-interacting proteins, additional guanine nucleotide triphosphate (GTP) binding proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, and proteins modulating synaptic vesicle exo- and endocytosis. In addition, we identified novel proteins of unknown function. Our results demonstrate that the parallel application of three different gel-based approaches in combination with mass spectrometry permits a comprehensive analysis of the synaptic vesicle proteome that is considerably more complex than previously anticipated.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

LC-nanospray-MS/MS analysis of hydrophobic proteins from membrane protein complexes isolated by blue-native electrophoresis.

The application of two-dimensional electrophoresis for the identification of hydrophobic membrane proteins is principally hampered by precipitation of many of these proteins during first-dimension, isoelectric focusing. Therefore new strategies towards the identification and characterization of membrane proteins are being developed. In this work we present a direct and rapid approach from blue-native gels to mass spectrometry, which allows the analyses of complete complexes and prevents protein aggregation of hydrophobic regions during electrophoresis. We combine blue-native gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography--nanospray-iontrap tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the composition of oxidative phosphorylation complexes I, III, IV and V from bovine-heart mitochondria as a model system containing a number of highly hydrophobic proteins. Bands from blue-native gels were subjected either to in-gel or to in-solution tryptic digestion. The obtained peptide mixtures were further analyzed by liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry and the corresponding proteins were identified by database search. From a total of 86 proteins, 67 protein subunits could be identified including all highly hydrophobic components, except the ND4L and ND6 subunits of complex I. We demonstrate that liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry combined to blue-native electrophoresis is a straightforward tool for proteomic analysis of multiprotein complexes, and especially for the identification of very hydrophobic membrane protein constituents that are not accessible by common isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Advantages and limitations of clear-native PAGE.

Clear-native PAGE (CN-PAGE) separates acidic water-soluble and membrane proteins (pI < 7) in an acrylamide gradient gel, and usually has lower resolution than blue-native PAGE (BN-PAGE). The migration distance depends on the protein intrinsic charge, and on the pore size of the gradient gel. This complicates estimation of native masses and oligomerization states when compared to BN-PAGE, which uses negatively charged protein-bound Coomassie-dye to impose a charge shift on the proteins. Therefore, BN-PAGE rather than CN-PAGE is commonly used for standard analyses. However, CN-PAGE offers advantages whenever Coomassie-dye interferes with techniques required to further analyze the native complexes, e.g., determination of catalytic activities, as shown here for mitochondrial ATP synthase, or efficient microscale separation of membrane protein complexes for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analyses. CN-PAGE is milder than BN-PAGE. Especially the combination of digitonin and CN-PAGE can retain labile supramolecular assemblies of membrane protein complexes that are dissociated under the conditions of BN-PAGE. Enzymatically active oligomeric states of mitochondrial ATP synthase previously not detected using BN-PAGE were identified by CN-PAGE.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2004

AIF deficiency compromises oxidative phosphorylation.

Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) is a mitochondrial flavoprotein that, after apoptosis induction, translocates to the nucleus where it participates in apoptotic chromatinolysis. Here, we show that human or mouse cells lacking AIF as a result of homologous recombination or small interfering RNA exhibit high lactate production and enhanced dependency on glycolytic ATP generation, due to severe reduction of respiratory chain complex I activity. Although AIF itself is not a part of complex I, AIF-deficient cells exhibit a reduced content of complex I and of its components, pointing to a role of AIF in the biogenesis and/or maintenance of this polyprotein complex. Harlequin mice with reduced AIF expression due to a retroviral insertion into the AIF gene also manifest a reduced oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the retina and in the brain, correlating with reduced expression of complex I subunits, retinal degeneration, and neuronal defects. Altogether, these data point to a role of AIF in OXPHOS and emphasize the dual role of AIF in life and death.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2004

Cardiolipin biosynthesis and mitochondrial respiratory chain function are interdependent.

Cardiolipin (CL) is an acidic phospholipid present almost exclusively in membranes harboring respiratory chain complexes. We have previously shown that, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, CL provides stability to respiratory chain supercomplexes and CL synthase enzyme activity is reduced in several respiratory complex assembly mutants. In the current study, we investigated the interdependence of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and CL biosynthesis. Pulse-labeling experiments showed that in vivo CL biosynthesis was reduced in respiratory complexes III (ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase) and IV (cytochrome c oxidase) and oxidative phosphorylation complex V (ATP synthase) assembly mutants. CL synthesis was decreased in the presence of CCCP, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation that reduces the pH gradient but not by valinomycin or oligomycin, both of which reduce the membrane potential and inhibit ATP synthase, respectively. The inhibitors had no effect on phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis or CRD1 gene expression. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that in vivo CL biosynthesis is regulated at the level of CL synthase activity by the DeltapH component of the proton-motive force generated by the functional electron transport chain. This is the first report of regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis by alteration of subcellular compartment pH.

Blotting, Northern↗

PubMed2004

Subunit composition of mitochondrial complex I from the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

Here we present a first assessment of the subunit inventory of mitochondrial complex I from the obligate aerobic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. A total of 37 subunits were identified. In addition to the seven central, nuclear coded, and the seven mitochondrially coded subunits, 23 accessory subunits were found based on 2D electrophoretic and mass spectroscopic analysis in combination with sequence information from the Y. lipolytica genome. Nineteen of the 23 accessory subunits are clearly conserved between Y. lipolytica and mammals. The remaining four accessory subunits include NUWM, which has no apparent homologue in any other organism and is predicted to contain a single transmembrane domain bounded by highly charged extramembraneous domains. This structural organization is shared among a group of 7 subunits in the Y. lipolytica and 14 subunits in the mammalian enzyme. Because only five of these subunits display significant evolutionary conservation, their as yet unknown function is proposed to be structure- rather than sequence-specific. The NUWM subunit could be assigned to a hydrophobic subcomplex obtained by fragmentation and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Its position within the membrane arm was determined by electron microscopic single particle analysis of Y. lipolytica complex I decorated with a NUWM-specific monoclonal antibody.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

The bacterial protein-translocation complex: SecYEG dimers associate with one or two SecA molecules.

In bacteria, the Sec-protein transport complex facilitates the passage of most secretory and membrane proteins across and into the plasma membrane. The core complex SecYEG forms the protein channel and engages either ribosomes or the ATPase SecA, which drive translocation of unfolded polypeptide chains through the complex and into the periplasmic space. Escherichia coli SecYEG forms dimers in membranes, but in detergent solution the population of these dimers is low. However, we find that stable dimers can be assembled by the addition of a monoclonal antibody. Normally, a stable SecYEG-SecA complex can only form on isolated membranes or on reconstituted proteo-liposomes. The antibody-stabilised SecYEG dimer binds one SecA molecule in detergent solution. In the presence of AMPPNP, a non-hydrolysable analogue of ATP, a complex forms containing one antibody and two each of SecYEG and SecA. SecYEG monomers or tetramers do not associate to a significant degree with SecA. The observed variability in the stoichiometry of SecYEG and SecA association and its nucleotide modulation may be important and necessary for the protein translocation reaction.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2004

Significance of respirasomes for the assembly/stability of human respiratory chain complex I.

We showed that the human respiratory chain is organized in supramolecular assemblies of respiratory chain complexes, the respirasomes. The mitochondrial complexes I (NADH dehydrogenase) and III (cytochrome c reductase) form a stable core respirasome to which complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) can also bind. An analysis of the state of respirasomes in patients with an isolated deficiency of single complexes provided evidence that the formation of respirasomes is essential for the assembly/stability of complex I, the major entry point of respiratory chain substrates. Genetic alterations leading to a loss of complex III prevented respirasome formation and led to the secondary loss of complex I. Therefore, primary complex III assembly deficiencies presented as combined complex III/I defects. This dependence of complex I assembly/stability on respirasome formation has important implications for the diagnosis of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders.

Cytochromes b↗

PubMed2004

Two-dimensional electrophoresis for the isolation of integral membrane proteins and mass spectrometric identification.

Acrylamide concentration, urea content, and the trailing ion used for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-gels modify electrophoretic protein mobilities in a protein-dependent way. Varying these parameters we coupled two SDS-gels to a two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis system. Protein spots in 2-D gels are dispersed around a diagonal. Hydrophobic proteins are well separated from water-soluble proteins which is the essential advantage of the novel technique. Mass spectrometric identification of previously unaccessible hydrophobic proteins is now possible.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Assembly of respiratory complexes I, III, and IV into NADH oxidase supercomplex stabilizes complex I in Paracoccus denitrificans.

Stable supercomplexes of bacterial respiratory chain complexes III (ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase) and IV (cytochrome c oxidase) have been isolated as early as 1985 (Berry, E. A., and Trumpower, B. L. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 2458-2467). However, these assemblies did not comprise complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase). Using the mild detergent digitonin for solubilization of Paracoccus denitrificans membranes we could isolate NADH oxidase, assembled from complexes I, III, and IV in a 1:4:4 stoichiometry. This is the first chromatographic isolation of a complete "respirasome." Inactivation of the gene for tightly bound cytochrome c552 did not prevent formation of this supercomplex, indicating that this electron carrier protein is not essential for structurally linking complexes III and IV. Complex I activity was also found in the membranes of mutant strains lacking complexes III or IV. However, no assembled complex I but only dissociated subunits were observed following the same protocols used for electrophoretic separation or chromatographic isolation of the supercomplex from the wild-type strain. This indicates that the P. denitrificans complex I is stabilized by assembly into the NADH oxidase supercomplex. In addition to substrate channeling, structural stabilization of a membrane protein complex thus appears as one of the major functions of respiratory chain supercomplexes.

Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Cardiolipin stabilizes respiratory chain supercomplexes.

Cardiolipin stabilized supercomplexes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae respiratory chain complexes III and IV (ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase, respectively), but was not essential for their formation in the inner mitochondrial membrane because they were found also in a cardiolipin-deficient strain. Reconstitution with cardiolipin largely restored wild-type stability. The putative interface of complexes III and IV comprises transmembrane helices of cytochromes b and c1 and tightly bound cardiolipin. Subunits Rip1p, Qcr6p, Qcr9p, Qcr10p, Cox8p, Cox12p, and Cox13p and cytochrome c were not essential for the assembly of supercomplexes; and in the absence of Qcr6p, the formation of supercomplexes was even promoted. An additional marked effect of cardiolipin concerns cytochrome c oxidase. We show that a cardiolipin-deficient strain harbored almost inactive resting cytochrome c oxidase in the membrane. Transition to the fully active pulsed state occurred on a minute time scale.

ATP Synthetase Complexes↗

PubMed2003

Redox-induced transitions in bovine cytochrome bc1 complex studied by perfusion-induced ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.

Redox transitions in a film of detergent-purified bovine cytochrome bc(1) complex were investigated by perfusion-induced attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The technique provides a flexible method for generating redox-induced IR changes of components of bovine cytochrome bc(1) complex at a high signal:noise ratio. These IR redox difference spectra arise from perturbations of prosthetic groups and surrounding protein. Visible difference spectra were recorded synchronously using a light beam reflected from the exposed prism surface and provided a quantitative means of determining the redox transitions that were occurring. IR and visible redox difference spectra of iron-sulfur protein/cytochrome c(1), heme b(H), and heme b(L) were separated by selective reduction and/or oxidation that extends published data on the homologous bacterial enzyme. Several bands could be tentatively assigned to redox-sensitive modes of hemes and ubiquinone and changes in the surrounding protein by comparison with available data for bacterial bc(1) complex, other related heme proteins, and model compounds. Some tentative assignments of further signals to specific amino acids are made on the basis of known crystal structures.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Isolation, characterization and electron microscopic single particle analysis of the NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) from the hyperthermophilic eubacterium Aquifex aeolicus.

The proton-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) has been purified from Aquifex aeolicus, a hyperthermophilic eubacterium of known genome sequence. The purified detergent solubilized enzyme is highly active above 50 degrees C. The specific activity for electron transfer from NADH to decylubiquinone is 29 U/mg at 80 degrees C. The A. aeolicus complex I is completely sensitive to rotenone and 2-n-decyl-quinazoline-4-yl-amine. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that it may contain up to 14 subunits. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the bands indicates the presence of a stable subcomplex, which is composed of subunits E, F, and G. The isolated complex is highly stable and active in a temperature range from 50 to 90 degrees C, with a half-life of about 10 h at 80 degrees C. The activity shows a linear Arrhenius plot at 50-85 degrees C with an activation energy at 31.92 J/mol K. Single particle electron microscopy shows that the A. aeolicus complex I has the typical L-shape. However, visual inspection of averaged images reveals many more details in the external arm of the complex than has been observed for complex I from other sources. In addition, the angle (90 degrees ) between the cytoplasmic peripheral arm and the membrane intrinsic arm of the complex appears to be invariant.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2003

Benzoate-coenzyme A ligase from Thauera aromatica: an enzyme acting in anaerobic and aerobic pathways.

In the denitrifying member of the beta-Proteobacteria Thauera aromatica, the anaerobic metabolism of aromatic acids such as benzoate or 2-aminobenzoate is initiated by the formation of the coenzyme A (CoA) thioester, benzoyl-CoA and 2-aminobenzoyl-CoA, respectively. Both aromatic substrates were transformed to the acyl-CoA intermediate by a single CoA ligase (AMP forming) that preferentially acted on benzoate. This benzoate-CoA ligase was purified and characterized as a 57-kDa monomeric protein. Based on V(max)/K(m), the specificity constant for 2-aminobenzoate was 15 times lower than that for benzoate; this may be the reason for the slower growth on 2-aminobenzoate. The benzoate-CoA ligase gene was cloned and sequenced and was found not to be part of the gene cluster encoding the general benzoyl-CoA pathway of anaerobic aromatic metabolism. Rather, it was located in a cluster of genes coding for a novel aerobic benzoate oxidation pathway. In line with this finding, the same CoA ligase was induced during aerobic growth with benzoate. A deletion mutant not only was unable to grow anaerobically on benzoate or 2-aminobenzoate, but also aerobic growth on benzoate was affected. This suggests that benzoate induces a single benzoate-CoA ligase. The product of benzoate activation, benzoyl-CoA, then acts as inducer of separate anaerobic or aerobic pathways of benzoyl-CoA, depending on whether oxygen is lacking or present.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed2002

Respiratory chain supercomplexes of mitochondria and bacteria.

Respiratory chain complexes are fragments of larger structural and functional units, the respiratory chain supercomplexes or "respirasomes", which exist in bacterial and mitochondrial membranes. Supercomplexes of mitochondria and bacteria contain complexes III, IV, and complex I, with the notable exception of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which does not possess complex I. These supercomplexes often are stable to sonication but sensitive to most detergents except digitonin. In S. cerevisiae, a major component linking complexes III and IV together is cardiolipin.In Paracoccus denitrificans, complex I itself is rather detergent-sensitive and thus could not be obtained in detergent-solubilized form so far. However, it can be isolated as part of a supercomplex. Stabilization of complex I by binding to complex III was also found in human mitochondria. Further functional roles of the organization in a supercomplex are catalytic enhancement by reducing diffusion distances of substrates or, depending on the organism, channelling of the substrates quinone and cytochrome c. This makes redox reactions less dependent of midpoint potentials of substrates, and permits electron flow at low degree of substrate reduction.A dimeric state of ATP synthase seems to be specific for mitochondria. Exclusively, monomeric ATP synthase was found in Acetobacterium woodii, in P. denitrificans, and in spinach chloroplasts.

ATP Synthetase Complexes↗