A minimum structured adenine nucleotide for ADP/ATP transport in mitochondria

An ADP analogue, i.e. 3H- or 14C-labeled 5'-diphosphate of 6-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl-methyl)-4-pyrimidinamine, was synthesized, the structure of which was deduced from structure-activity studies on the substrate specificity of the nucleotide-binding center of the inner mitochondrial membrane integrated ADP/ATP carrier protein. Bearing only the minimal but substrate-essential recognition structures, minimum structured ADP (msADP) is bound to the cytosol-facing active center and transported by the highly specific carrier system across the inner mitochondrial membrane.     

Interaction of fluorescent adenine nucleotide derivatives with the ADP/ATP carrier in mitochondria. 1. Comparison of various 3'-O-ester adenine nucleotide derivatives

Fluorescent 3'-O-acyl-substituted adenine nucleotide (dimethylamino)naphthoyl and trinitrophenyl groups were studied for binding to the ADP/ATP carrier in mitochondria and submitochondrial particles. The changes in fluorescence intensity and emission maximum are for the most part similar to those observed in nonaqueous solvents. The (dimethylamino)naphthoyl derivatives from a largely quenched aqueous state have a shortwave shift up to 85 nm and increase up to 90-fold (1,5 derivative), whereas the little quenched naphthoyl derivatives show a fluorescence decrease and the weakly fluorescent trinitrophenyl derivative shows only a small increase on binding. All derivatives are good inhibitors (K1 = 1-10 microM) of nucleotide transport. The fluorescence titrations have an apparent K1/2 = 2-7 microM. The fluorescence of the 1,5-DAN nucleotide is fully suppressed by bongkrekate but only partially suppressed by carboxyatractylate. The fluorescence response is much stronger in submitochondrial particles than in mitochondria. Both facts suggest fluorescent binding to the "m" state of the carrier site at the inner face of the membrane. 1,5-DAN-AMP shows a slightly more efficient binding than DAN-ADP or DAN-ATP.     

Structure-function studies of adenine nucleotide transport in mitochondria. II. Biochemical analysis of distinct AAC1 and AAC2 proteins in yeast

AAC1 and AAC2 genes in yeast each encode functional ADP/ATP carrier (AAC) proteins of the mitochondrial inner membrane. In the present study, mitochondria harboring distinct AAC proteins and the pet9 Arg96 to HIS mutant (Lawson, J., Gawaz, M., Klingenberg, M., and Douglas, M. G. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 14195-14201) protein have been characterized. In addition, properties of the different AAC proteins have been defined following reconstitution into proteoliposomes. Deletion of AAC2 but not AAC1 causes a major reduction in the mitochondrial cytochrome content and respiration, and this level remains low even when the level of AAC1 protein is increased to 20% that of the AAC2 gene product. In reconstitution studies, the rate of nucleotide transport by isolated AAC1 protein is approximately 40% that of the AAC2 protein. Thus, the lack of mitochondrial-dependent growth supported by the AAC1 gene product alone may be due to the combination of low abundance and reduced activity. Surprisingly, analysis of the Arg96 to His mutant protein revealed binding and transport activities similar to the functional AAC1 and AAC2 gene products. These observations are discussed in relation to a molecular analysis of this highly conserved small transporter and its function in conjunction with other proteins in the mitochondrial membrane.     

The ADP and ATP transport in mitochondria and its carrier

Different from some more specialised short reviews, here a general although not encyclopaedic survey of the function, metabolic role, structure and mechanism of the ADP/ATP transport in mitochondria is presented. The obvious need for an “old fashioned” review comes from the gateway role in metabolism of the ATP transfer to the cytosol from mitochondria. Amidst the labours, 40 or more years ago, of unravelling the role of mitochondrial compartments and of the two membranes, the sequence of steps of how ATP arrives in the cytosol became a major issue. When the dust settled, a picture emerged where ATP is exported across the inner membrane in a 1:1 exchange against ADP and where the selection of ATP versus ADP is controlled by the high membrane potential at the inner membrane, thus uplifting the free energy of ATP in the cytosol over the mitochondrial matrix. Thus the disparate energy and redox states of the two major compartments are bridged by two membrane potential responsive carriers to enable their symbiosis in the eukaryotic cell. The advance to the molecular level by studying the binding of nucleotides and inhibitors was facilitated by the high level of carrier (AAC) binding sites in the mitochondrial membrane. A striking flexibility of nucleotide binding uncovered the reorientation of carrier sites between outer and inner face, assisted by the side specific high affinity inhibitors. The evidence of a single carrier site versus separate sites for substrate and inhibitors was expounded. In an ideal setting principles of transport catalysis were elucidated. The isolation of intact AAC as a first for any transporter enabled the reconstitution of transport for unravelling, independently of mitochondrial complications, the factors controlling the ADP/ATP exchange. Electrical currents measured with the reconstituted AAC demonstrated electrogenic translocation and charge shift of reorienting carrier sites. Aberrant or vital para-functions of AAC in basal uncoupling and in the mitochondrial pore transition were demonstrated in mitochondria and by patch clamp with reconstituted AAC. The first amino acid sequence of AAC and of any eukaryotic carrier furnished a 6-transmembrane helix folding model, and was the basis for mapping the structure by access studies with various probes, and for demonstrating the strong conformation changes demanded by the reorientation mechanism. Mutations served to elucidate the function of residues, including the particular sensitivity of ATP versus ADP transport to deletion of critical positive charge in AAC. After resisting for decades, at last the atomic crystal structure of the stabilised CAT-AAC complex emerged supporting the predicted principle fold of the AAC but showing unexpected features relevant to mechanism. Being a snapshot of an extreme abortive “c-state” the actual mechanism still remains a conjecture.     

Interaction of fluorescent adenine nucleotide derivatives with the ADP/ATP carrier in mitochondria. 2. [5-(Dimethylamino)-1-naphthoyl]adenine nucleotides as probes for the transition between c and m states of the ADP/ATP carrier

The binding to the ADP/ATP carrier in mitochondrial membranes of the 3'-O-(dimethylamino)naphthoyl (DAN) derivatives of AMP, ADP, and ATP was quantitatively analyzed. The sidedness of the fluorescent type binding to the "m" side only was shown comparing the mitochondrial membranes in various stages of integrity and surface orientation. In particles displacement by bongkrekate (BKA) is direct, whereas in the case of carboxyatractylate (CAT) the requirement for ADP and ATP demonstrates the transition from the "m" to the "c" state. Quantitatively the "physical" binding of [3H]DAN-AMP and fluorescence are well correlated, allowing for a little nonfluorescent binding to the c side. For DAN-AMP KD is 1.6 microM, for DAN-ADP KD is 0.8 microM, and in the Hill plot a straight line with n = 1.25 is obtained. The maximum number of binding sites for [3H]DAN-AMP (1.5 mumol/g of protein) is about equal to the sites found for [3H]BKA if the unspecific binding of both ligands is differentiated by blocking carrier sites with CAT. [3H]CAT binding is somewhat lower in accordance with the limited access of CAT to inverted vesicles. ADP is able to decrease fluorescence only by about 35% at high concentrations (10 mM) whereas GDP has virtually no effect. With ADP, DAN-AMP binding decreases by 30% of the total binding sensitive to BKA. Binding to ATPase is low because of the absence of Mg2+.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Kinetics of electrogenic transport by the ADP/ATP carrier.

The electrogenic transport of ATP and ADP by the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier (AAC) was investigated by recording transient currents with two different techniques for performing concentration jump experiments: 1) the fast fluid injection method: AAC-containing proteoliposomes were adsorbed to a solid supported membrane (SSM), and the carrier was activated via ATP or ADP concentration jumps. 2) BLM (black lipid membrane) technique: proteoliposomes were adsorbed to a planar lipid bilayer, while the carrier was activated via the photolysis of caged ATP or caged ADP with a UV laser pulse. Two transport modes of the AAC were investigated, ATP(ex)-0(in) and ADP(ex)-0(in). Liposomes not loaded with nucleotides allowed half-cycles of the ADP/ATP exchange to be studied. Under these conditions the AAC transports ADP and ATP electrogenically. Mg(2+) inhibits the nucleotide transport, and the specific inhibitors carboxyatractylate (CAT) and bongkrekate (BKA) prevent the binding of the substrate. The evaluation of the transient currents yielded rate constants of 160 s(-1) for ATP and >/=400 s(-1) for ADP translocation. The function of the carrier is approximately symmetrical, i.e., the kinetic properties are similar in the inside-out and right-side-out orientations. The assumption from previous investigations, that the deprotonated nucleotides are exclusively transported by the AAC, is supported by further experimental evidence. In addition, caged ATP and caged ADP bind to the carrier with similar affinities as the free nucleotides. An inhibitory effect of anions (200-300 mM) was observed, which can be explained as a competitive effect at the binding site. The results are summarized in a transport model.     

Studies of the ADP/ATP carrier of mitochondria with fluorescent ADP analogue formycin diphosphate.

The ADP/ATP carrier was studied by a fluorescent substrate, formycin diphosphate which is the only fluorescent ADP analogue to bind. Its low quantum yield, short decay time and spectral overlap with tryptophan has as yet prevented its wider use. By incorporating fluorescent acceptors of formycin diphosphate fluorescence, anthracene-maleimide and vinylanthracene, into the membrane, these difficulties were circumvented. Only bound formycin diphosphate transfers energy to the probes so that the secondary emission of these probes is a measure for membrane-bound formycin diphosphate. The fluorescent transfer is inhibited by ADP, bongkrekate and carboxyatractylate whether added before or after incubation of formycin diphosphate showing that only binding to the adenine nucleotide carrier is measured. It also shows directly that the earlier demonstrated ADP fixation by bongkrekate is indeed a displacement into the matrix. The fluorescence decay time of the bound formycin diphosphate is measured as 1.95 ns compared to 0.95 ns of the free formycin diphosphate, indicating that formycin diphosphate is bound at the carrier in a non-polar environment. The depolarization decay time was found to be larger than 15 ns, indicating that carrier-bound formycin diphosphate is immobile within this time period.     

Distinct steps in the import of ADP/ATP carrier into mitochondria

Transport of the precursor to the ADP/ATP carrier from the cytosol into the mitochondrial inner membrane was resolved into several consecutive steps. The precursor protein was trapped at distinct stages of the import pathway and subsequently chased to the mature form. In a first reaction, the precursor interacts with a protease-sensitive component on the mitochondrial surface. It then reaches intermediate sites in the outer membrane which are saturable and where it is protected against proteases. This translocation intermediate can be extracted at alkaline pH. We suggest that it is anchored to the membrane by a so far unknown proteinaceous component. The membrane potential delta psi-dependent entrance of the ADP/ATP carrier into the inner membrane takes place at contact sites between outer and inner membranes. Completion of translocation into the inner membrane can occur in the absence of delta psi. A cytosolic component which is present in reticulocyte lysate and which interacts with isolated mitochondria is required for the specific binding of the precursor to mitochondria.     

Studies of the ADP/ATP carrier of mitochondria with fluorescent ADP analogue formycin diphosphate

The ADP/ATP carrier was studied by a fluorescent substrate, formycin diphosphate which is the only fluorescent ADP analogue to bind. Its low quantum yield, short decay time and spectral overlap with tryptophan has as yet prevented its wider use.By incorporating fluorescent acceptors of formycin diphosphate fluorescence, anthracene-maleimide and vinylanthracene, into the membrane, these difficulties were circumvented. Only bound formycin diphosphate transfers energy to the probes so that the secondary emission of these probes is a measure for membrane-bound formycin diphosphate.The fluorescent transfer is inhibited by ADP, bongkrekate and carboxy-atractylate whether added before or after incubation of formycin diphosphate showing that only binding to the adenine nucleotide carrier is measured. It also shows directly that the earlier demonstrated ADP fixation by bongkrekate is indeed a displacement into the matrix.The fluorescence decay time of the bound formycin diphosphate is measured as 1.95 ns compared to 0.95 ns of the free formycin diphosphate, indicating that formycin diphosphate is bound at the carrier in a non-polar environment.The depolarization decay time was found to be larger than 15 ns, indicating that carrier-bound formycin diphosphate is immobile within this time period.     

Activation of the ADP/ATP carrier from mitochondria by cationic effectors

The ADP/ATP carrier from the mitochondrial inner membrane was found to be influenced by cationic substances from the hydrophilic surroundings. Under low-ionic-strength conditions, addition of these cationic effectors fully activated the reconstituted adenine nucleotide translocator. The list of activators included divalent cations, polyamines, peptides and cationic proteins. The minimum requirement for an activator to be effective was the presence of at least two positive net charges, regardless of the size of the molecule. Cationic molecules were not activating when an intramolecular charge compensation was possible or when the two charges were too far apart from one another. The affinity of these activators varied from several hundred microM (diaminoalkanes, divalent cations) to 1 microM (cytochrome c, spermine) and even down to a few nM (polylysine). The activation by cations was fully reversible and was not due to fusion processes. It was not mediated by an interaction with the anionic substrates ADP and ATP, nor by interaction with the liposomes. The stimulation could directly and functionally be correlated to the reconstituted carrier protein. Activation was not observed in intact mitochondria, but could be demonstrated when the outer mitochondrial membrane had been removed by treatment with digitonin. These mitoplasts were stimulated by polycations similar to the ADP/ATP carrier in the reconstituted system.     

Adenine nucleotide transport in hepatoma mitochondria. Characterization of factors influencing the kinetics of ADP and ATP uptake

Initial velocity measurements of [³H]ADP and [³H]ATP uptake have been made with mitochondria isolated from Morris hepatomas of differing growth rates, and factors known to influence the rates of nucleotide exchange have been examined in an effort to determine whether the elevated rates of aerobic glycolysis in these tumors can be attributed to altered carrier activity. These studies included the determination of the apparent kinetic constants for nucleotide uptake as a function of the mitochondrial energy state and the dependence of transport rates on temperature. Also included in these studies were measurements of the mitochondrial levels of endogenous inhibitors, divalent cations and internal adenine nucleotides. Results obtained showed that with mitochondria isolated from the various tumor lines, the apparent kinetic constants for nucleotide uptake are different from those of control rat or regenerating liver mitochondria; the apparent V_max values for both ADP and ATP uptake are significantly lower. Furthermore, under conditions of a high-energy state, the K_m and V_max values for ATP uptake are greater than the K_m and V_max value for ADP uptake but that under uncoupled conditions, the opposite is observed. Comparison of the levels of mitochondrial Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, long-chain acyl-CoA ester and adenine nucleotide from the various mitochondria showed that important differences exist between liver and hepatoma mitochondria in the levels of Ca²⁺, long-chain acyl-CoA ester and AMP. Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ levels are elevated 3–5-fold in all tumor lines, and for Morris 7777 hepatoma (a rapidly growing tumor) by a remarkable 70-fold; whereas the levels of acyl-CoA ester and AMP are significantly lower in the more rapidly growing tumors. Arrhenius plots for nucleotide uptake in mitochondria from liver and hepatoma are characterized as being biphasic, having similar activation energies above and below the break point temperature (28–38 and 6–16 kcal/mol, respectively). However, the transition temperature for mitochondria from the various hepatomas is uniformly 4–5°C lower than mitochondria from control liver. The latter difference may reflect a variation in membrane composition, most probably lipid components. It is concluded that the presence of elevated levels of Ca²⁺ and lower levels of AMP in hepatoma mitochondria and difference of membrane compositions may play an important role in limiting adenine nucleotide transport activity in vivo and that the impaired carrier activity may contribute to higher rates of aerobic glycolysis observed in these tumors.     

Transport of proteins into mitochondria. Posttranslational transfer of ADP/ATP carrier into mitochondria in vitro

The mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier is an integral transmembrane protein of the inner membrane. It is synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes. Kinetic data suggested that this protein is transferred into mitochondria in a posttranslational manner. The following results provide further evidence for such a mechanism and provide information on its details. 1. In homologous and heterologous translation systems th newly synthesized ADP/ATP carrier protein is present in the postribosomal supernatant. 2. Analysis by density gradient centrifugation and gel filtration shows, that the ADP/ATP carrier molecules in the postribosomal fraction are present as soluble complexes with apparent molecular weights of about 120 000 and 500 000 or larger. The carrier binds detergents such as Triton X-100 and deoxycholate forming mixed micelles with molecular weights of about 200 000-400 000. 3. Incubation of a postribosomal supernatant of a reticulocyte lysate containing newly synthesized ADP/ATP carrier with mitochondria isolated from Neurospora spheroplasts results in efficient transfer of the carrier into mitochondria. About 20-30% of the transferred carrier are resistant to proteinase in whole mitochondria. The authentic mature protein is also largley resistant to proteinase in whole mitochondria and sensitive after lysis of mitochondria with detergent. Integrity of mitochondria is a preprequisite for translocation into proteinase resistant position. 4. The transfer in vitro into a proteinase-resistant form is inhibited by the uncoupler carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone but not the proteinase-sensitive binding. These observations suggest that the posttranslational transfer of ADP/ATP carrier occurs via the cytosolic space through a soluble oligomeric precursor form. This precursor is taken up by intact mitochondria into an integral position in the membrane. These findings are considered to be of general importance for the intracellular transfer of insoluble membrane proteins. They support the view that such proteins can exist in a water-soluble form as precursors and upon integration into the membrane undergo a conformational change. Uptake into the membrane may involve the cleavage of an additional sequence in some proteins, but this appears not to be a prerequisite as demonstrated by the ADP/ATP carrier protein.     

Expression of the ADP/ATP carrier encoding genes in aerobic yeasts; phenotype of an ADP/ATP carrier deletion mutant of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The expression of a key mitochondrial membrane component, the ADP/ATP carrier, was investigated in two aerobic yeast species, Kluyveromyces lactis and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Although the two species differ very much in their respiratory capacity, the expression of the carrier in both yeast species was decreased under partially anaerobic conditions and was induced by nonfermentable carbon sources. The single ADP/ATP carrier encoding gene was deleted in S. pombe. The null mutant exhibits impaired growth properties, especially when cultivated at reduced oxygen tension, and is unable to grow on a nonfermentable carbon source. Our results suggest that the inability of K. lactis and S. pombe to grow under anaerobic conditions can be related in part to the absence of a functional ADP/ATP carrier due to repression of the corresponding gene expression.     

Molecular aspects of the adenine nucleotide carrier from mitochondria

The ADP/ATP carrier (AAC) of mitochondria is a functionally central and characteristic component of the eukaryotic cell. By linking the thermodynamically divergent metabolites in the intra- and extramitochondrial compartments, it had to evolve with the emergence of the eukaryotic cell. Because of a number of unique properties, the AAC provided advanced insight into the molecular basis of solute transport through biomembrane carriers. With highly specific and unusually large substrates, ADP and ATP, and with high-affinity inhibitors binding selectively either from the inside or the outside, the first molecular demonstration of the single-binding-center gated pore mechanism was made. This framework can only partially be interpreted with the available yet rapidly increasing structural information on the AAC. The primary structure, first established for the AAC from beef heart mitochondria, showed a relatively wide distribution of hydrophilic residues which permits assignment of only two hydrophobic transmembrane stretches. However, a striking tripartition of the primary structure into about three 100-residue-long domains allows a more significant assignment of transmembrane elements. With alignment of these three domains for maximum conservation of structurally critical residues, each domain can be assigned to have two transmembrane alpha elements between 18 and 22 residues long. The interdomain homology between these alpha regions is low. The central regions flanked by these helices contain most of the polar residues and are significantly interdomain conserved. With lysine probes the central regions are assigned to the matrix side (m-side) and the two connecting regions as well as C and N termini to the cytosolic side (c-side). Out of the central regions a loop is assumed to protrude through the membrane, probably for lining the translocation channel. This localization of a major protein mass within the membrane agrees with hydrodynamic evidence, the carrier being an oblate ellipsoid with only about 50 A along the short axis. In accordance, the loops of domains 2 and 3 are affinity labeled by azido-ADP or azido-atractylate. Primary structures of AAC from other sources (fungi, plants) also exhibit the tripartition. The interdomain conserved residues are also interspecies conserved, thus showing that they are essential. These repeat domains have probably evolved from a common gene coding for about 100 residues. Isoforms of the AAC exist, as shown by primary structure analysis of human cDNA libraries from different organs. Three different isoforms are identified in human organs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Transport of adenine nucleotides in the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Interactions between the ADP/ATP carriers and the ATP-Mg/Pi carrier

The ADP/ATP and ATP-Mg/Pi carriers are widespread among eukaryotes and constitute two systems to transport adenine nucleotides in mitochondria. ADP/ATP carriers carry out an electrogenic exchange of ADP for ATP essential for oxidative phosphorylation, whereas ATP-Mg/Pi carriers perform an electroneutral exchange of ATP-Mg for phosphate and are able to modulate the net content of adenine nucleotides in mitochondria. The functional interplay between both carriers has been shown to modulate viability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The simultaneous absence of both carriers is lethal. In the light of the new evidence we suggest that, in addition to exchange of cytosolic ADP for mitochondrial ATP, the specific function of the ADP/ATP carriers required for respiration, both transporters have a second function, which is the import of cytosolic ATP in mitochondria. The participation of these carriers in the generation of mitochondrial membrane potential is discussed. Both are necessary for the function of the mitochondrial protein import and assembly systems, which are the only essential mitochondrial functions in S. cerevisiae.