The possibility of synthesizing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-coded proteins in the cytosolic compartment, called allotopic expression, provides an attractive option for genetic treatment of human diseases caused by mutations of the corresponding genes. However, it is now appreciated that the high hydrophobicity of proteins encoded by the mitochondrial genome represents a strong limitation on their mitochondrial import when translated in the cytosol. Recently, we optimized the allotopic expression of a recoded ATP6 gene in human cells, by forcing its mRNA to localize to the mitochondrial surface. In this study, we show that this approach leads to a long-lasting and complete rescue of mitochondrial dysfunction of fibroblasts harboring the neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia and retinitis Pigmentosa T8993G ATP6 mutation or the Leber hereditary optic neuropathy G11778A ND4 mutation. The recoded ATP6 gene was associated with the cis-acting elements of SOD2, while the ND4 gene was associated with the cis-acting elements of COX10. Both ATP6 and ND4 gene products were efficiently translocated into the mitochondria and functional within their respective respiratory chain complexes. Indeed, the abilities to grow in galactose and to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in vitro were both completely restored in fibroblasts allotopically expressing either ATP6 or ND4. Notably, in fibroblasts harboring the ATP6 mutation, allotopic expression of ATP6 led to the recovery of complex V enzymatic activity. Therefore, mRNA sorting to the mitochondrial surface represents a powerful strategy that could ultimately be applied in human therapy and become available for an array of devastating disorders caused by mtDNA mutations.
As previously established in yeast, two sequences within mRNAs are responsible for their specific localization to the mitochondrial surface-the region coding for the mitochondrial targeting sequence and the 39UTR. This phenomenon is conserved in human cells. Therefore, we decided to use mRNA localization as a tool to address to mitochondria, a protein that is not normally imported. For this purpose, we associated a nuclear recoded ATP6 gene with the mitochondrial targeting sequence and the 39UTR of the nuclear SOD2 gene, which mRNA exclusively localizes to the mitochondrial surface in HeLa cells. The ATP6 gene is naturally located into the organelle and encodes a highly hydrophobic protein of the respiratory chain complex V.In this study, we demonstrated that hybrid ATP6 mRNAs, as the endogenous SOD2 mRNA, localize to the mitochondrial surface in human cells. Remarkably, fusion proteins localize to mitochondria in vivo. Indeed, ATP6 precursors synthesized in the cytoplasm were imported into mitochondria in a highly efficient way, especially when both the MTS and the 39UTR of the SOD2 gene were associated with the re-engineered ATP6 gene. Hence, these data indicate that mRNA targeting to the mitochondrial surface represents an attractive strategy for allowing the mitochondrial import of proteins originally encoded by the mitochondrial genome without any amino acid change in the protein that could interfere with its biologic activity.
mRNA subcellular distribution and translational control are key player mechanisms for development, cellular differentiation and synaptic plasticity. mRNA localization is also implicated in mitochondria biogenesis. Two sequences within the transcripts are involved in their mitochondrial localization: the region coding for the mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) and the 3'UTR. Therefore, we decided to use mRNA localization as a tool to address to mitochondria a protein that is not normally imported. We have chosen to construct nuclear versions of the mtDNA encoded ATP6 and ND1 genes to which we appended the signals of COX10 gene, whose transcript is sorted to the mitochondrial surface. Thus, by directing a hybrid mRNA to the mitochondrial surface, we significantly improved the feasibility of the allotopic approach for the mitochondrial genes examined.
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