title: Genetic and biochemical basis for viability of yeast lacking mitochondrial genomes.
abstract: Yme1p, an ATP-dependent protease localized in the mitochondrial inner membrane, is required for the growth of yeast lacking an intact mitochondrial genome. Specific dominant mutations in the genes encoding the alpha- and gamma-subunits of the mitochondrial F(1)F(0)-ATPase suppress the slow-growth phenotype of yeast that simultaneously lack Yme1p and mitochondrial DNA. F(1)F(0)-ATPase activity is reduced in yeast lacking Yme1p and is restored in yme1 strains bearing suppressing mutations in F(1)-ATPase structural genes. Mitochondria isolated from yme1 yeast generated a membrane potential upon the addition of succinate, but unlike mitochondria isolated either from wild-type yeast or from yeast bearing yme1 and a suppressing mutation, were unable to generate a membrane potential upon the addition of ATP. Nuclear-encoded F(0) subunits accumulate in yme1 yeast lacking mitochondrial DNA; however, deletion of genes encoding those subunits did not suppress the requirement of yme1 yeast for intact mitochondrial DNA. In contrast, deletion of INH1, which encodes an inhibitor of the F(1)F(0)-ATPase, partially suppressed the growth defect of yme1 yeast lacking mitochondrial DNA. We conclude that Yme1p is in part responsible for assuring sufficient F(1)F(0)-ATPase activity to generate a membrane potential in mitochondria lacking mitochondrial DNA and propose that Yme1p accomplishes this by catalyzing the turnover of protein inhibitors of the F(1)F(0)-ATPase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kominsky
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brownson
authors.forename: Dustin L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Updike
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Thorsness
mesh_terms: D049069:ATP-Dependent Proteases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D049069:ATP-Dependent Proteases; C082702:YME1 protein, S cerevisiae; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases