title: Biphasic regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by cytosolic Ca2+ concentration.
abstract: A rise in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration is used as a key activation signal in virtually all animal cells, where it triggers a range of responses including neurotransmitter release, muscle contraction, and cell growth and proliferation [1]. During intracellular Ca(2+) signaling, mitochondria rapidly take up significant amounts of Ca(2+) from the cytosol, and this stimulates energy production, alters the spatial and temporal profile of the intracellular Ca(2+) signal, and triggers cell death [2-10]. Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake occurs via a ruthenium-red-sensitive uniporter channel found in the inner membrane [11]. In spite of its critical importance, little is known about how the uniporter is regulated. Here, we report that the mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter is gated by cytosolic Ca(2+). Ca(2+) uptake into mitochondria is a Ca(2+)-activated process with a requirement for functional calmodulin. However, cytosolic Ca(2+) subsequently inactivates the uniporter, preventing further Ca(2+) uptake. The uptake pathway and the inactivation process have relatively low Ca(2+) affinities of approximately 10-20 microM. However, numerous mitochondria are within 20-100 nm of the endoplasmic reticulum, thereby enabling rapid and efficient transmission of Ca(2+) release into adjacent mitochondria by InsP(3) receptors on the endoplasmic reticulum. Hence, biphasic control of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake by Ca(2+) provides a novel basis for complex physiological patterns of intracellular Ca(2+) signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, Oxford University, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Charmaine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Anant B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Parekh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000502:physiology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; C034703:mitochondrial calcium uniporter; D002118:Calcium