Polycomb group ring finger 1 cooperates with Runx1 in regulating differentiation and self-renewal of hematopoietic cells.

The transcription factor runt-related transcription factor 1 (Runx1) is essential for the establishment of definitive hematopoiesis during embryonic development. In adult blood homeostasis, Runx1 plays a pivotal role in the maturation of lymphocytes and megakaryocytes. Furthermore, Runx1 is required for the regulation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

Sam50 functions in mitochondrial intermembrane space bridging and biogenesis of respiratory complexes.

Mitochondria possess an outer membrane (OMM) and an inner membrane (IMM), which folds into invaginations called cristae. Lipid composition, membrane potential, and proteins in the IMM influence organization of cristae. Here we show an essential role of the OMM protein Sam50 in the maintenance of the structure of cristae.

A tag at the carboxy terminus prevents membrane integration of VDAC1 in mammalian mitochondria.

beta-Barrel proteins are found in the outer membranes of bacteria, chloroplasts and mitochondria. The evolutionary conserved sorting and assembly machinery (SAM complex) assembles mitochondrial beta-barrel proteins, such as voltage-dependent anion-selective channel 1 (VDAC1), into complexes in the outer membrane by recognizing a sorting beta-signal in the carboxy-terminal part of the protein. Here we show that in mammalian mitochondria, masking of the C-terminus of beta-barrel proteins by a tag leads to accumulation of soluble misassembled protein in the intermembrane space, which causes mitochondrial fragmentation and loss of membrane potential.

Bacterial porin disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential and sensitizes host cells to apoptosis.

The bacterial PorB porin, an ATP-binding beta-barrel protein of pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae, triggers host cell apoptosis by an unknown mechanism. PorB is targeted to and imported by host cell mitochondria, causing the breakdown of the mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)). Here, we show that PorB induces the condensation of the mitochondrial matrix and the loss of cristae structures, sensitizing cells to the induction of apoptosis via signaling pathways activated by BH3-only proteins.

Import of bacterial pathogenicity factors into mitochondria.

Recent research on the mechanism underlying the interaction of bacterial pathogens with their host has shifted the focus to secreted microbial proteins affecting the physiology and innate immune response of the target cell. These proteins either traverse the plasma membrane via specific entry pathways involving host cell receptors or are directly injected via bacterial secretion systems into the host cell, where they frequently target mitochondria. The import routes of bacterial proteins are mostly unknown, whereas the effect of mitochondrial targeting by these proteins has been investigated in detail.

Conserved roles of Sam50 and metaxins in VDAC biogenesis.

Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) is a beta-barrel protein in the outer mitochondrial membrane that is necessary for metabolite exchange with the cytosol and is proposed to be involved in certain forms of apoptosis. We studied the biogenesis of VDAC in human mitochondria by depleting the components of the mitochondrial import machinery by using RNA interference. Here, we show the importance of the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex in the import of the VDAC precursor.