Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.

Only a few genes remain in the mitochondrial genome retained by every eukaryotic organism that carry out essential functions and are implicated in severe diseases. Experimentally relocating these few genes to the nucleus therefore has both therapeutic and evolutionary implications. Numerous unproduc...

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Main Authors: Maïlis Bietenhader, Alexandre Martos, Emmanuel Tetaud, Raeka S Aiyar, Carole H Sellem, Roza Kucharczyk, Sandra Clauder-Münster, Marie-France Giraud, François Godard, Bénédicte Salin, Isabelle Sagot, Julien Gagneur, Michelle Déquard-Chablat, Véronique Contamine, Sylvie Hermann-Le Denmat, Annie Sainsard-Chanet, Lars M Steinmetz, Jean-Paul di Rago
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS Genetics
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002876&type=printable
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author Maïlis Bietenhader
Alexandre Martos
Emmanuel Tetaud
Raeka S Aiyar
Carole H Sellem
Roza Kucharczyk
Sandra Clauder-Münster
Marie-France Giraud
François Godard
Bénédicte Salin
Isabelle Sagot
Julien Gagneur
Michelle Déquard-Chablat
Véronique Contamine
Sylvie Hermann-Le Denmat
Annie Sainsard-Chanet
Lars M Steinmetz
Jean-Paul di Rago
author_facet Maïlis Bietenhader
Alexandre Martos
Emmanuel Tetaud
Raeka S Aiyar
Carole H Sellem
Roza Kucharczyk
Sandra Clauder-Münster
Marie-France Giraud
François Godard
Bénédicte Salin
Isabelle Sagot
Julien Gagneur
Michelle Déquard-Chablat
Véronique Contamine
Sylvie Hermann-Le Denmat
Annie Sainsard-Chanet
Lars M Steinmetz
Jean-Paul di Rago
author_sort Maïlis Bietenhader
collection DOAJ
description Only a few genes remain in the mitochondrial genome retained by every eukaryotic organism that carry out essential functions and are implicated in severe diseases. Experimentally relocating these few genes to the nucleus therefore has both therapeutic and evolutionary implications. Numerous unproductive attempts have been made to do so, with a total of only 5 successes across all organisms. We have taken a novel approach to relocating mitochondrial genes that utilizes naturally nuclear versions from other organisms. We demonstrate this approach on subunit 9/c of ATP synthase, successfully relocating this gene for the first time in any organism by expressing the ATP9 genes from Podospora anserina in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study substantiates the role of protein structure in mitochondrial gene transfer: expression of chimeric constructs reveals that the P. anserina proteins can be correctly imported into mitochondria due to reduced hydrophobicity of the first transmembrane segment. Nuclear expression of ATP9, while permitting almost fully functional oxidative phosphorylation, perturbs many cellular properties, including cellular morphology, and activates the heat shock response. Altogether, our study establishes a novel strategy for allotopic expression of mitochondrial genes, demonstrates the complex adaptations required to relocate ATP9, and indicates a reason that this gene was only transferred to the nucleus during the evolution of multicellular organisms.
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issn 1553-7390
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publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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spelling doaj-art-ef592b891c4946c0bc882639b3bc89112025-08-20T02:15:19ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042012-01-0188e100287610.1371/journal.pgen.1002876Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.Maïlis BietenhaderAlexandre MartosEmmanuel TetaudRaeka S AiyarCarole H SellemRoza KucharczykSandra Clauder-MünsterMarie-France GiraudFrançois GodardBénédicte SalinIsabelle SagotJulien GagneurMichelle Déquard-ChablatVéronique ContamineSylvie Hermann-Le DenmatAnnie Sainsard-ChanetLars M SteinmetzJean-Paul di RagoOnly a few genes remain in the mitochondrial genome retained by every eukaryotic organism that carry out essential functions and are implicated in severe diseases. Experimentally relocating these few genes to the nucleus therefore has both therapeutic and evolutionary implications. Numerous unproductive attempts have been made to do so, with a total of only 5 successes across all organisms. We have taken a novel approach to relocating mitochondrial genes that utilizes naturally nuclear versions from other organisms. We demonstrate this approach on subunit 9/c of ATP synthase, successfully relocating this gene for the first time in any organism by expressing the ATP9 genes from Podospora anserina in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study substantiates the role of protein structure in mitochondrial gene transfer: expression of chimeric constructs reveals that the P. anserina proteins can be correctly imported into mitochondria due to reduced hydrophobicity of the first transmembrane segment. Nuclear expression of ATP9, while permitting almost fully functional oxidative phosphorylation, perturbs many cellular properties, including cellular morphology, and activates the heat shock response. Altogether, our study establishes a novel strategy for allotopic expression of mitochondrial genes, demonstrates the complex adaptations required to relocate ATP9, and indicates a reason that this gene was only transferred to the nucleus during the evolution of multicellular organisms.https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002876&type=printable
spellingShingle Maïlis Bietenhader
Alexandre Martos
Emmanuel Tetaud
Raeka S Aiyar
Carole H Sellem
Roza Kucharczyk
Sandra Clauder-Münster
Marie-France Giraud
François Godard
Bénédicte Salin
Isabelle Sagot
Julien Gagneur
Michelle Déquard-Chablat
Véronique Contamine
Sylvie Hermann-Le Denmat
Annie Sainsard-Chanet
Lars M Steinmetz
Jean-Paul di Rago
Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
PLoS Genetics
title Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
title_full Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
title_fullStr Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
title_full_unstemmed Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
title_short Experimental relocation of the mitochondrial ATP9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution.
title_sort experimental relocation of the mitochondrial atp9 gene to the nucleus reveals forces underlying mitochondrial genome evolution
url https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002876&type=printable
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