Membranes, and Mitochondria

Bcl-2, the prototype family member, is found in perinuclear membranes, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum (Korsmeyer et al., 1995). It has important functions in controlling both calcium and mitochondrial membrane homeostasis (Danial and Korsmeyer, 2004). 

PHB of 130-170 monomer units is usually associated with other macromolecules by multiple coordinate bonds, or by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions (Reusch 1992). This conserved PHB has been isolated from the plasma membranes of bacteria, from a variety of plant tissues, and from the plasma membranes, mitochondria, and microsomes of animal cells. 

A large number of cellular processes and biosythetic pathways of eukaryotic cells are compartmentalized and restricted to specific membranes. Mitochondria and chloroplasts are two cases in point. In prokaryotic cells, many of the same functions are performed by a single membrane. The transport of metabolites and ions, oxidative phosphorylation, photosynthesis, phospholipid biosynthesis, and the synthesis of cell-wall constituents are a few examples of processes carried out by enzyme systems localized in the bacterial plasma membrane (Chapters... 

The mitochondrial complex that carries out ATP synthesis is called ATP synthase or sometimes FjFo-ATPase (for the reverse reaction it catalyzes). ATP synthase was observed in early electron micrographs of submitochondrial particles (prepared by sonication of inner membrane preparations) as round, 8.5-nm-diameter projections or particles on the inner membrane (Figure 21.23). In micrographs of native mitochondria, the projections appear on the matrixfacing surface of the inner membrane. Mild agitation removes the particles from isolated membrane preparations, and the isolated spherical particles catalyze ATP hydrolysis, the reverse reaction of the ATP synthase. Stripped of these particles, the membranes can still carry out electron transfer but cannot synthesize ATP. In one of the first reconstitution experiments with membrane proteins, Efraim Racker showed that adding the particles back to stripped membranes restored electron transfer-dependent ATP synthesis. 

The mechanism of ATP synthesis discussed here assumes that protons extruded during electron transport are in the bulk phase surrounding the inner mitochondrial membrane (intermembrane and extramitochondrial spaces). An alternative view is that there are local proton circuits within or close to the respiratory chain and complex V, and that these protons may not be in free equilibrium with the bulk phase (Williams, 1978), although this has not been supported experimentally (for references see Nicholls and Ferguson, 1992). The chemiosmotic mechanism is both elegant and simple and explains all the known facts about ATP synthesis and its dependence on the structural integrity of the mitochondria, although the details may appear complex. This mechanism will now be discussed in more detail. 

In rat liver mitochondria, in state 4, the AP was estimated to be about 220 mV, with the membrane potential representing about 90% of this (Nicholls, 1974 Appendix 3). Similar values have been reported for human and rat skeletal muscle mitochondria in state 4 (Stumpf et al., 1982). The control of the rate of electron transport is not only determined by the availability of ADP, but also of Pj oxidizable substrates, and oxygen. There is evidence for futile cycling of protons in intact normal rat hepatocytes (Brand et al., 1993). Recently, Porter and Brand (1993) found a correlation between the proton permeability of the inner membrane of liver mitochondria and body size in animals from the mouse (20 g) to horses (150 kg) with a decrease in permeability with increasing weight of several-fold at a constant... 

Histopathological features are dominated by the large number of centrally-placed muscle nuclei, sometimes affecting more than 90% of muscle fibers. The nuclei form long chains in the middle of the fiber and are surrounded by cytoplasm, which contains mitochondria and membranous vesicles, but no myofibrils. This morphological appearance has prompted comparison with myotubes, and in fact centronuclear myopathies are sometimes referred to as myotubular myopathies. This is a misnomer, however, since although the affected fibers retain some of the structural features of myotubes, and maturational arrest may play a role in their formation, the vast majority of such fibers are fully differentiated histochemically into either type 1 or type 2. 

Pathogenesis of MH is not completely understood. Skeletal muscle, however, is the one tissue in MH with proven abnormalities, and it is further thought that the basic defect that causes the syndrome lies in the calcium regulation system found within the myoplasm. For example, calcium transport function appears to be decreased in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and sarcolemma. Thus, the suggestion has been made that MH is characterized by a generalized membrane defeet. 

Fig. 3-7 A thin section through a prokaryotic cell. Note that the nuclear material (N) is not bound by a membrane, but is free in the cytoplasm. Mitochondria and other intracytoplasmic structures are absent. (Reprinted with permission from J. J. Cardamone, Jr., Univ. of Pittsburgh/Biological Photo Service.)...

Rieske proteins are constituents of the be complexes that are hydro-quinone-oxidizing multisubunit membrane proteins. All be complexes, that is, bci complexes in mitochondria and bacteria, b f complexes in chloroplasts, and corresponding complexes in menaquinone-oxidizing bacteria, contain three subunits cytochrome b (cytochrome 6e in b f complexes), cytochrome Ci (cytochrome f in b(,f complexes), and the Rieske iron sulfur protein. Cytochrome 6 is a membrane protein, whereas the Rieske protein, cytochrome Ci, and cytochrome f consist of water-soluble catalytic domains that are bound to cytochrome b through a membrane anchor. In Rieske proteins, the membrane anchor can be identified as an N-terminal hydrophobic sequence (13). 

In be complexes bci complexes of mitochondria and bacteria and b f complexes of chloroplasts), the catalytic domain of the Rieske protein corresponding to the isolated water-soluble fragments that have been crystallized is anchored to the rest of the complex (in particular, cytochrome b) by a long (37 residues in bovine heart bci complex) transmembrane helix acting as a membrane anchor (41, 42). The great length of the transmembrane helix is due to the fact that the helix stretches across the bci complex dimer and that the catalytic domain of the Rieske protein is swapped between the monomers, that is, the transmembrane helix interacts with one monomer and the catalytic domain with the other monomer. The connection between the membrane anchor and the catalytic domain is formed by a 12-residue flexible linker that allows for movement of the catalytic domain during the turnover of the enzyme (Fig. 8a see Section VII). Three different positional states of the catalytic domain of the Rieske protein have been observed in different crystal forms (Fig. 8b) (41, 42) ... 

The group of the be complexes comprises bci complexes in mitochondria and bacteria and bef complexes in chloroplasts. These complexes are multisubunit membrane proteins containing four redox centers in three subunits cytochrome b (cytochrome be in bef complexes) comprising two heme b centers in a transmembrane arrangement, cyto-... 

In pigeon, chicken, and rabbit liver, phospho-enolpymvate carboxykinase is a mitochondrial enzyme, and phosphoenolpyruvate is transported into the cytosol for gluconeogenesis. In the rat and the mouse, the enzyme is cytosolic. Oxaloacetate does not cross the mitochondrial inner membrane it is converted to malate, which is transported into the cytosol, and convetted back to oxaloacetate by cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. In humans, the guinea pig, and the cow, the enzyme is equally disttibuted between mitochondria and cytosol. 

Figure 29-9. Reactions and intermediates of urea biosynthesis. The nitrogen-containing groups that contribute to the formation of urea are shaded. Reactions and occur in the matrix of iiver mitochondria and reactions , , and in iiver cytosoi. COj (as bicarbonate), ammonium ion, ornithine, and cit-ruiiine enter the mitochondriai matrix via specific carriers (see heavy dots) present in the inner membrane of iiver mitochondria.

The above describes the major pathway of proteins destined for the mitochondrial matrix. However, certain proteins insert into the outer mitochoiidrial membrane facilitated by the TOM complex. Others stop in the intermembrane space, and some insert into the inner membrane. Yet others proceed into the matrix and then return to the inner membrane or intermembrane space. A number of proteins contain two signaling sequences—one to enter the mitochondrial matrix and the other to mediate subsequent relocation (eg, into the inner membrane). Certain mitochondrial proteins do not contain presequences (eg, cytochrome Cy which locates in the inter membrane space), and others contain internal presequences. Overall, proteins employ a variety of mechanisms and routes to attain their final destinations in mitochondria. 

Ionophoretic Activity. PTX, even at high concentrations, had no ionophoretic activity on membranes of mitochondria and liposomes. 

MAO is bound to the outer membrane of mitochondria and is responsible for the oxidative deamination of noradrenaline. There are two isoforms of this enzyme, MAO-A... 

Both the intracellular and the plasma membranes are actively involved in the cell s vital functions. In the surface membranes of axons, processes of information transfer in the form of electrical signals (nerve impulses) lake place. Bioenergy conversion processes occur at the intracellular membranes of the mitochondria and chloroplasts. 

A well-known example of active transport is the sodium-potassium pump that maintains the imbalance of Na and ions across cytoplasmic membranes. Flere, the movement of ions is coupled to the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and phosphate by the ATPase enzyme, liberating three Na+ out of the cell and pumping in two K [21-23]. Bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts have a similar ion-driven uptake mechanism, but it works in reverse. Instead of ATP hydrolysis driving ion transport, H gradients across the membranes generate the synthesis of ATP from ADP and phosphate [24-27]. 

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