title: Functional expression of plant alternative oxidase decreases antimycin A-induced reactive oxygen species production in human cells.
abstract: Alternative oxidase (AOX) plays a pivotal role in cyanide-resistance respiration in the mitochondria of plants, fungi and some protists. Here we show that AOX from thermogenic skunk cabbage successfully conferred cyanide resistance to human cells. In galactose medium, HeLa cells with mitochondria-targeted AOX proteins were found to have significantly less reactive oxygen species production in response to antimycin-A exposure, a specific inhibitor of respiratory complex III. These results suggest that skunk cabbage AOX can be used to create an alternative respiration pathway, which might be important for therapy against various mitochondrial diseases.
authors.affiliation: United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsukawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Kikukatsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000968:Antimycin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D029064:Araceae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003486:Cyanides / Q000494:pharmacology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase
chemical_list: D000968:Antimycin A; D003486:Cyanides; D005947:Glucose; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D010940:Plant Proteins; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000099188:Alternative Oxidase