title: Timing and structural consideration for the processing of mitochondrial matrix space proteins by the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP).
abstract: Most mitochondrial matrix space proteins are synthesized as a precursor protein, and the N-terminal extension of amino acids that served as the leader sequence is removed after import by the action of a metalloprotease called mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP). The crystal structure of MPP has been solved very recently, and it has been shown that synthetic leader peptides bind with MPP in an extended conformation. However, it is not known how MPP recognizes hundreds of leader peptides with different primary and secondary structures or when during import the leader is removed. Here we took advantage of the fact that the structure of the leader from rat liver aldehyde dehydrogenase has been determined by 2D-NMR to possess two helical portions separated by a three amino acid (RGP) linker. When the linker was deleted, the leader formed one long continuous helix that can target a protein to the matrix space but is not removed by the action of MPP. Repeats of two and three leaders were fused to the precursor protein to determine the stage of import at which processing occurs, if MPP could function as an endo peptidase, and if it would process if the cleavage site was part of a helix. Native or linker deleted constructs were used. Import into isolated yeast mitochondria or processing with recombinantly expressed MPP was performed. It was concluded that processing did not occur as the precursor was just entering the matrix space, but most likely coincided with the folding of the protein. Further, finding that hydrolysis could not take place if the processing site was part of a stable helix is consistent with the crystal structure of MPP. Lastly, it was found that MPP could function at sites as far as 108 residues from the N terminus of the precursor protein, but its ability to process decreases exponentially as the distance increases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1153, USA.
authors.forename: Abhijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hammen
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waltner-Law
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism; D000096122:Mitochondrial Processing Peptidase
chemical_list: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000096122:Mitochondrial Processing Peptidase