title: The human mitochondrial Mrs2 protein functionally substitutes for its yeast homologue, a candidate magnesium transporter.
abstract: We report here on the human MRS2 gene that encodes a protein, hsaMrs2p, the first molecularly characterized candidate for a magnesium transporter in metazoa. The protein, like the yeast mitochondrial Mrs2 and Lpe10 proteins, contains two predicted transmembrane domains in its carboxyl-terminus, the first of which terminates with the conserved motif F/Y-G-M-N. These are typical features of the CorA family of magnesium transporters. Expression of hsaMrs2p in mrs2-1 knock-out mutant yeast partly restores mitochondrial magnesium concentrations that are significantly reduced in this mutant. It also alleviates other defects of this mutant, which may be secondary to the reduction in magnesium concentrations. These findings suggest that hsaMrs2p and yMrs2p are functional homologues. Like its yeast homologues, hsaMrs2p has been localized in mitochondria. The hsaMRS2 gene is located on chromosome 6 (6p22.1-p22.3) and is composed of 11 exons. A low level of the transcript is detected in various mouse tissues.
authors.affiliation: Vienna Biocenter, Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9, Vienna, A-1030, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zsurka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gregán
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schweyen
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D002896:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C430096:MRS2 protein, human; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008274:Magnesium