Dysfunctions in mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell - lead to several human pathologies. Because mitochondria integrate nuclear and mitochondrial genetic systems, they are richly intertwined with cellular activities. The nucleus-encoded mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (mt-aaRSs) are key components of the mitochondrial translation apparatus. Mutations in these enzymes predominantly affect the central nervous system (CNS) but also target other organs. Comparable mutations in mt-aaRSs can lead to vastly diverse diseases, occurring at different stages in life, and within different tissues; this represents a confounding issue. With newer information available, we propose that the pleiotropy and tissue-specificity of mt-aaRS-associated diseases result from the molecular integration of mitochondrial translation events within the cell; namely, through specific crosstalk between the cellular program and the energy demands of the cell. We place particular focus on neuronal cells.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2017.06.002 | DOI Listing |
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
February 2025
Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal disease characterized by the transforming growth factor (TGF-β)-dependent activation of lung fibroblasts, leading to excessive deposition of collagen proteins and progressive replacement of healthy lungs with scar tissue. We and others have shown that TGF-β-mediated activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and downstream upregulation of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) promotes metabolic reprogramming in lung fibroblasts characterized by upregulation of the de novo synthesis of glycine, the most abundant amino acid found in collagen protein. Whether mTOR and ATF4 regulate other metabolic pathways in lung fibroblasts has not been explored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
December 2024
Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
Eukaryotic nuclear genomes often encode distinct sets of translation machinery for function in the cytosol vs. organelles (mitochondria and plastids). This raises questions about why multiple translation systems are maintained even though they are capable of comparable functions and whether they evolve differently depending on the compartment where they operate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Cell Environ
December 2024
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for the Development Biology and Environmental Adaptation of Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Photorespiration is a complex metabolic process linked to primary plant metabolism and influenced by environmental factors, yet its regulation remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified the asprs3-1 mutant, which displays a photorespiratory phenotype with leaf chlorosis, stunted growth, and diminished photosynthesis under ambient CO, but normal growth under elevated CO conditions. Map-based cloning and genetic complementation identified AspRS3 as the mutant gene, encoding an aspartyl-tRNA synthetase.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Chem
December 2024
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. Electronic address:
Human genetic disorders are often caused by mutations of compound heterozygosity, where each allele of the mutant gene harbors a different genetic lesion. However, studies of such mutations are hampered due to the lack of an appropriate model. Here we describe a kinetic model of compound heterozygous variants in an obligate enzyme dimer that contains one mutation in one monomer and the other mutation in the second monomer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIUBMB Life
January 2025
Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
Initiation factors play critical roles in fine-tuning translation initiation, which is the first and the rate-limiting step in protein synthesis. In bacteria, initiation factors, IF1, IF2 and IF3 work in concert to accurately position the initiator tRNA (i-tRNA) in its formyl-aminoacyl form, and the mRNA start codon at the ribosomal P-site, setting the stage for accommodation of the aminoacyl-tRNA in response to the second codon, and formation of the first peptide bond. Among these, IF3 is particularly crucial in ensuring the fidelity of translation initiation as it is involved in the accuracy of the selection of i-tRNA and the start codon.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!