Mitochondria, the site of a variety of important metabolic processes, are essential organelles of eukaryotic organisms. Pathological effects of reduced bioenergetics capacity and altered iron metabolism caused by mitochondrial dysfunction are common in human populations. Molecular chaperones play vital roles in the biogenesis of mitochondria. Two essential, highly conserved mitochondrial processes that depend upon the function of Hsp70 and J-protein molecular chaperones will be studied - translocation of proteins from the cytosol into the mitochondrial matrix and the generation of Fe/S clusters, critical co-factors for numerous enzymes. The goal of this proposal is to not only gain a better understanding of these two essential processes, but also to understand the mechanisms by which the action of Hsp70s and J-proteins are co-opted to make them competent to efficiently carry out specific roles in diverse biological processes. These two systems represent examples of the two basic features known to govern the ability of Hsp70s/J- proteins to function in diverse biological processes: localization to sites of action (protein impot) and restricted client binding, rather than the promiscuous binding characteristic of function in protein folding (Fe/S cluster biogenesis). The vast majority of the hundreds of proteins of the mitochondrial matrix are synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes. Thus, efficient import of proteins is critical for mitochondrial function. The import motor required for driving proteins across the inne membrane into the matrix is composed of 5 essential components, with the matrix Hsp70, Ssc1, and its obligate J-protein co-chaperone, Pam18, at its core. Genetic, biochemical and structural approaches will be used, with a goal of understanding the regulated protein: protein interactions that have evolved to drive efficient translocation of proteins across the membrane. The results generated will also provide a framework for understanding Hsp70/J-protein machines in other systems, as mechanisms such as tethering regulated by interaction with client proteins are likely common regulatory strategies in chaperone systems. The mitochondrial matrix contains a set of essential proteins devoted to the biogenesis of Fe/S clusters. The clusters are assembled on the scaffold protein, Isu, via action of an assembly complex prior to transfer to recipient apo-proteins. The specialized J-protein: Hsp70 chaperone pair, Jac1:Ssq1, facilitates transfer of the cluster. Using biochemical interaction assays and exploiting mutant proteins having defects in their interactions with partner proteins, the mechanism by which binding of Jac1 initiates the transfer process will be studied to understand the kinetic switch between cluster formation and cluster transfer. Our work on this system will also serve as a model for a more general understanding of the means by which molecular chaperones modulate protein: protein interactions in other biological processes.

Public Health Relevance

The research described in this proposal focuses on understanding fundamental aspects of mitochondrial function and biogenesis. Mitochondria are essential organelles that are vital for energy production. Reduced mitochondrial function has been linked to a wide array of health issues from age-related neurological and cardiovascular disease to early onset neuromuscular disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM027870-35
Application #
8811427
Study Section
Membrane Biology and Protein Processing Study Section (MBPP)
Program Officer
Ainsztein, Alexandra M
Project Start
1980-04-01
Project End
2018-02-28
Budget Start
2015-03-01
Budget End
2016-02-29
Support Year
35
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Earth Sciences/Resources
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Craig, Elizabeth A (2018) Hsp70 at the membrane: driving protein translocation. BMC Biol 16:11
Schilke, Brenda A; Ciesielski, Szymon J; Ziegelhoffer, Thomas et al. (2017) Broadening the functionality of a J-protein/Hsp70 molecular chaperone system. PLoS Genet 13:e1007084
Dutkiewicz, Rafal; Nowak, Malgorzata; Craig, Elizabeth A et al. (2017) Fe-S Cluster Hsp70 Chaperones: The ATPase Cycle and Protein Interactions. Methods Enzymol 595:161-184
Ciesielski, Szymon J; Craig, Elizabeth A (2017) Posttranslational control of the scaffold for Fe-S cluster biogenesis as a compensatory regulatory mechanism. Curr Genet 63:51-56
Craig, Elizabeth A; Marszalek, Jaroslaw (2017) How Do J-Proteins Get Hsp70 to Do So Many Different Things? Trends Biochem Sci 42:355-368
Lee, Kanghyun; Sharma, Ruchika; Shrestha, Om Kumar et al. (2016) Dual interaction of the Hsp70 J-protein cochaperone Zuotin with the 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits. Nat Struct Mol Biol 23:1003-1010
Delewski, Wojciech; Paterkiewicz, Bogumi?a; Manicki, Mateusz et al. (2016) Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis Chaperones: Evidence for Emergence of Mutational Robustness of a Highly Specific Protein-Protein Interaction. Mol Biol Evol 33:643-56
Ciesielski, Szymon J; Schilke, Brenda; Marszalek, Jaroslaw et al. (2016) Protection of scaffold protein Isu from degradation by the Lon protease Pim1 as a component of Fe-S cluster biogenesis regulation. Mol Biol Cell 27:1060-8
Schmitz-Abe, Klaus; Ciesielski, Szymon J; Schmidt, Paul J et al. (2015) Congenital sideroblastic anemia due to mutations in the mitochondrial HSP70 homologue HSPA9. Blood 126:2734-8
Yu, Hyun Young; Ziegelhoffer, Thomas; Craig, Elizabeth A (2015) Functionality of Class A and Class B J-protein co-chaperones with Hsp70. FEBS Lett 589:2825-30

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