A novel mitochondrial ubiquitin ligase plays a critical role in mitochondrial dynamics

EMBO J. 2006 Aug 9;25(15):3618-26. doi: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601249. Epub 2006 Jul 27.

Abstract

In this study, we have identified a novel mitochondrial ubiquitin ligase, designated MITOL, which is localized in the mitochondrial outer membrane. MITOL possesses a Plant Homeo-Domain (PHD) motif responsible for E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and predicted four-transmembrane domains. MITOL displayed a rapid degradation by autoubiquitination activity in a PHD-dependent manner. HeLa cells stably expressing a MITOL mutant lacking ubiquitin ligase activity or MITOL-deficient cells by small interfering RNA showed an aberrant mitochondrial morphology such as fragmentation, suggesting the enhancement of mitochondrial fission by MITOL dysfunction. Indeed, a dominant-negative expression of Drp1 mutant blocked mitochondrial fragmentation induced by MITOL depletion. We found that MITOL associated with and ubiquitinated mitochondrial fission protein hFis1 and Drp1. Pulse-chase experiment showed that MITOL overexpression increased turnover of these fission proteins. In addition, overexpression phenotype of hFis1 could be reverted by MITOL co-overexpression. Our finding indicates that MITOL plays a critical role in mitochondrial dynamics through the control of mitochondrial fission proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Down-Regulation
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Membranes / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Mitochondria / enzymology*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • MARCHF5 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases