Background:The intrinsically disordered protein ␣-synuclein, a hallmark of Parkinson disease, is involved in mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegeneration and directly interacts with mitochondria. Results: ␣-Synuclein regulates VDAC permeability; ␣-synuclein toxicity in yeast depends on VDAC. Conclusion: ␣-Synuclein both blocks VDAC and translocates via this channel across the mitochondrial outer membrane. Significance: (Patho)physiological roles of monomeric ␣-synuclein may originate from its interaction with VDAC.
Iron is an essential cofactor for enzymes involved in numerous cellular processes, yet little is known about the impact of iron deficiency on cellular metabolism or iron proteins. Previous studies have focused on changes in transcript and proteins levels in iron-deficient cells, yet these changes may not reflect changes in transport activity or flux through a metabolic pathway. We analyzed the metabolomes and transcriptomes of yeast grown in iron-rich and iron-poor media to determine which biosynthetic processes are altered when iron availability falls. Iron deficiency led to changes in glucose metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and lipid biosynthesis that were due to deficiencies in specific iron-dependent enzymes. Iron-sulfur proteins exhibited loss of iron cofactors, yet amino acid synthesis was maintained. Ergosterol and sphingolipid biosynthetic pathways had blocks at points where heme and diiron enzymes function, whereas Ole1, the essential fatty acid desaturase, was resistant to iron depletion. Iron-deficient cells exhibited depletion of most iron enzyme activities, but loss of activity during iron deficiency did not consistently disrupt metabolism. Amino acid homeostasis was robust, but iron deficiency impaired lipid synthesis, altering the properties and functions of cellular membranes.
Duality of iron as an essential cofactor of many enzymatic metabolic processes and as a catalyst of poorly controlled redox-cycling reactions defines its possible biological beneficial and hazardous role in the body. In this review, we discuss these two "faces" of iron in a newly conceptualized program of regulated cell death, ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a genetically programmed iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by enhanced lipid peroxidation and insufficient capacity of thiol-dependent mechanisms (glutathione peroxidase 4, GPX4) to eliminate hydroperoxy-lipids. We present arguments favoring the enzymatic mechanisms of ferroptotically engaged non-heme iron of 15-lipoxygenases (15-LOX) in complexes with phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1 (PEBP1) as a catalyst of highly selective and specific oxidation reactions of arachidonoyl- (AA) and adrenoyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (PE). We discuss possible role of iron chaperons as control mechanisms for guided iron delivery directly to their "protein clients" thus limiting non-enzymatic redox-cycling reactions. We also consider opportunities of loosely-bound iron to contribute to the production of pro-ferroptotic lipid oxidation products. Finally, we propose a two-stage iron-dependent mechanism for iron in ferroptosis by combining its catalytic role in the 15-LOX-driven production of 15-hydroperoxy-AA-PE (HOO-AA-PE) as well as possible involvement of loosely-bound iron in oxidative cleavage of HOO-AA-PE to oxidatively truncated electrophiles capable of attacking nucleophilic targets in yet to be identified proteins leading to cell demise.
Trypanosomatid protozoan parasites lack a functional heme biosynthetic pathway, so must acquire heme from the environment to survive. However, the molecular pathway responsible for heme acquisition by these organisms is unknown. Here we show that L. amazonensis LHR1, a homolog of the C. elegans plasma membrane heme transporter HRG-4, functions in heme transport. Tagged LHR1 localized to the plasma membrane and to endocytic compartments, in both L. amazonensis and mammalian cells. Heme deprivation in L. amazonensis increased LHR1 transcript levels, promoted uptake of the fluorescent heme analog ZnMP, and increased the total intracellular heme content of promastigotes. Conversely, deletion of one LHR1 allele reduced ZnMP uptake and the intracellular heme pool by approximately 50%, indicating that LHR1 is a major heme importer in L. amazonensis . Viable parasites with correct replacement of both LHR1 alleles could not be obtained despite extensive attempts, suggesting that this gene is essential for the survival of promastigotes. Notably, LHR1 expression allowed Saccharomyces cerevisiae to import heme from the environment, and rescued growth of a strain deficient in heme biosynthesis. Syntenic genes with high sequence identity to LHR1 are present in the genomes of several species of Leishmania and also Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei , indicating that therapeutic agents targeting this transporter could be effective against a broad group of trypanosomatid parasites that cause serious human disease.
Analysis of iron-regulated gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using cDNA microarrays has identified three putative cell wall proteins that are directly regulated by Aft1p, the major iron-dependent transcription factor in yeast. FIT1, FIT2, and FIT3 (for facilitator of iron transport) were more highly expressed in strains grown in low concentrations of iron and in strains in which AFT1-1 up , a constitutively active allele of AFT1, was expressed. Northern blot analysis confirmed that FIT1, FIT2, and FIT3 mRNA transcript levels were increased 60 -230-fold in response to iron deprivation in an Aft1p-dependent manner. Fit1p was localized exclusively to the cell wall by indirect immunofluorescence. Deletion of the FIT genes, individually or in combination, resulted in diminished uptake of iron bound to the siderophores ferrioxamine B and ferrichrome, without diminishing the uptake of ferric iron salts, or the siderophores triacetylfusarinine C and enterobactin. FITdeletion strains exhibited increased expression of Aft1p target genes as measured by a FET3-lacZ reporter gene or by Arn1p Western blotting, indicating that cells respond to the absence of FIT genes by up-regulating systems of iron uptake. Aft1p activation in FIT-deleted strains occurred when either ferrichrome or ferric salts were used as sources of iron during growth, suggesting that the FIT genes enhance uptake of iron from both sources. Enzymatic digestion of the cell wall resulted in the release of significant amounts of iron from cells, and the relative quantity of iron released was reduced in FIT-deletion strains. Fit1p, Fit2p, and Fit3p may function by increasing the amount of iron associated with the cell wall and periplasmic space.
Developing erythrocytes take up exceptionally large amounts of iron, which must be transferred to mitochondria for incorporation into heme. This massive iron flux must be precisely controlled to permit the coordinated synthesis of heme and hemoglobin while avoiding the toxic effects of chemically reactive iron. In cultured animal cells, iron chaperones poly rC-binding protein 1 (PCBP1) and PCBP2 deliver iron to ferritin, the sole cytosolic iron storage protein, and nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediates the autophagic turnover of ferritin. The roles of PCBP, ferritin, and NCOA4 in erythroid development remain unclear. Here, we show that PCBP1, NCOA4, and ferritin are critical for murine red cell development. Using a cultured cell model of erythroid differentiation, depletion of PCBP1 or NCOA4 impaired iron trafficking through ferritin, which resulted in reduced heme synthesis, reduced hemoglobin formation, and perturbation of erythroid regulatory systems. Mice lacking Pcbp1 exhibited microcytic anemia and activation of compensatory erythropoiesis via the regulators erythropoietin and erythroferrone. Ex vivo differentiation of erythroid precursors from Pcbp1-deficient mice confirmed defects in ferritin iron flux and heme synthesis. These studies demonstrate the importance of ferritin for the vectorial transfer of imported iron to mitochondria in developing red cells and of PCBP1 and NCOA4 in mediating iron flux through ferritin.
Background: HRG-1-related proteins have low sequence homology but are functionally conserved. Results: Conserved residues within the transmembrane domain and the C terminus dictate the function of HRG-1-related proteins. Conclusion: Heme transport is mediated by topologically conserved residues implying an evolutionary ancient transport mechanism. Significance: Understanding the mechanism of HRG-1-related protein function will provide novel therapeutic insights into human hematological disorders and parasites, which rely on host heme for survival.
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