Mutations in the OPA1 gene are associated with autosomal dominant optic atrophy. OPA1 encodes a dynaminrelated protein orthologous to Msp1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Mgm1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, both involved in mitochondrial morphology and genome maintenance. We present immuno-£uorescence and biochemical evidences showing that OPA1 resides in the mitochondria where it is imported through its highly basic amino-terminal extension. Proteolysis experiments indicate that OPA1 is present in the inter-membrane space and electron microscopy further localizes it close to the cristae. The strong association of OPA1 with membranes suggests its anchoring to the inner membrane. ß

We have previously reported that anti-tubulin agents induce the release of cytochrome c from isolated mitochondria. In this study, we show that tubulin is present in mitochondria isolated from different human cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. The absence of polymerized microtubules and cytosolic proteins was checked to ensure that this tubulin is an inherent component of the mitochondria. In addition, a salt wash did not release the tubulin from the mitochondria. By using electron microscopy, we then showed that tubulin is localized in the mitochondrial membranes. As compared with cellular tubulin, mitochondrial tubulin is enriched in acetylated and tyrosinated ␣-tubulin and is also enriched in the class III ␤-tubulin isotype but contains very little of the class IV ␤-tubulin isotype. The mitochondrial tubulin is likely to be organized in ␣/␤ dimers and represents 2.2 ؎ 0.5% of total cellular tubulin. Lastly, we showed by immunoprecipitation experiments that the mitochondrial tubulin is specifically associated with the voltage-dependent anion channel, the main component of the permeability transition pore. Thus, tubulin is an inherent component of mitochondrial membranes, and it could play a role in apoptosis via interaction with the permeability transition pore.

It has been shown that the activation of JNK after paclitaxel-induced microtubule damage is parallel to Bcl-2 phosphorylation, cell cycle arrest in mitosis and apoptosis. Using subcellular fractionation and immunocytochemistry, we found here that a pool of activated JNK is located in mitochondria of HeLa cells treated with paclitaxel. Furthermore, whereas the JNK protein is present in a tripartite complex with the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and the PP1 phosphatase in mitochondria isolated from control cells, the activated form of JNK was associated with the phosphorylated form of Bcl-2, but devoid of PP1, in mitochondria isolated from paclitaxel-treated cells. Moreover, using an original cell-free system, we evidenced a direct involvement of JNK as the kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of mitochondrial Bcl-2 in mitotic arrested cells. Indeed, cytosols prepared from mitotic arrested cells led to a dose-dependent phosphorylation of mitochondrial Bcl-2. Bcl-2 phosphorylation was inhibited by CEP 11004, a JNK pathway inhibitor and by immunodepletion of JNK. Taken together, these data show that JNK activation provides a molecular linkage from microtubule damages to the mitochondrial apoptotic machinery and also point to a pivotal role for the JNK/Bcl-2/PP1 complex in the control of apoptosis following paclitaxel treatment.