Mitochondrial protein SURF1 is a specific assembly factor of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), but its function is poorly understood. SURF1 gene mutations cause a severe COX deficiency manifesting as the Leigh syndrome in humans, whereas in mice SURF1(-/-) knockout leads only to a mild COX defect. We used SURF1(-/-) mouse model for detailed analysis of disturbed COX assembly and COX ability to incorporate into respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) in different tissues and fibroblasts. Furthermore, we compared fibroblasts from SURF1(-/-) mouse and SURF1 patients to reveal interspecies differences in kinetics of COX biogenesis using 2D electrophoresis, immunodetection, arrest of mitochondrial proteosynthesis and pulse-chase metabolic labeling. The crucial differences observed are an accumulation of abundant COX1 assembly intermediates, low content of COX monomer and preferential recruitment of COX into I-III2-IVn SCs in SURF1 patient fibroblasts, whereas SURF1(-/-) mouse fibroblasts were characterized by low content of COX1 assembly intermediates and milder decrease in COX monomer, which appeared more stable. This pattern was even less pronounced in SURF1(-/-) mouse liver and brain. Both the control and SURF1(-/-) mice revealed only negligible formation of the I-III2-IVn SCs and marked tissue differences in the contents of COX dimer and III2-IV SCs, also less noticeable in liver and brain than in heart and muscle. Our studies support the view that COX assembly is much more dependent on SURF1 in humans than in mice. We also demonstrate markedly lower ability of mouse COX to form I-III2-IVn supercomplexes, pointing to tissue-specific and species-specific differences in COX biogenesis.

• Keywords
• Cytochrome c oxidase, Doxycycline, Leigh syndrome, Pulse-chase, Respiratory supercomplexes, SURF1(−/−) mouse knockout,
• MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Fibroblasts metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Leigh Disease genetics   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Membrane Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Mitochondrial Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Mice, Knockout MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Organ Specificity MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex IV genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Membrane Proteins MeSH
• Mitochondrial Proteins MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex IV MeSH
• Surf-1 protein MeSH Browser

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial diseases belong to the most severe inherited metabolic disorders affecting pediatric population. Despite detailed knowledge of mtDNA mutations and progress in identification of affected nuclear genes, diagnostics of a substantial part of mitochondrial diseases relies on clinical symptoms and biochemical data from muscle biopsies and cultured fibroblasts. METHODS: To investigate manifestation of oxidative phosphorylation defects in isolated lymphocytes, digitonin-permeabilized cells from 48 children were analyzed by high resolution respirometry, cytofluorometric detection of mitochondrial membrane potential and immunodetection of respiratory chain proteins with SDS and Blue Native electrophoreses. RESULTS: Evaluation of individual respiratory complex activities, ATP synthesis, kinetic parameters of mitochondrial respiratory chain and the content and subunit composition of respiratory chain complexes enabled detection of inborn defects of respiratory complexes I, IV and V within 2 days. Low respiration with NADH-dependent substrates and increased respiration with glycerol-3-phosphate revealed complex I defects; changes in p 50 for oxygen and elevated uncoupling control ratio pointed to complex IV deficiency due to SURF1 or SCO2 mutation; high oligomycin sensitivity of state 3-ADP respiration, upregulated mitochondrial membrane potential and low content of complex V were found in lymphocytes with ATP synthase deficiency due to TMEM70 mutations. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we propose the best biochemical parameters predictive for defects of respiratory complexes I, IV and V manifesting in peripheral blood lymphocytes. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: The noninvasiveness, reliability and speed of an approach utilizing novel biochemical criteria demonstrate the high potential of isolated lymphocytes for diagnostics of oxidative phosphorylation disorders in pediatric patients.

• Keywords
• AA, antimycin A, BNE, Blue Native PAGE, COX, cytochrome c oxidase, Diagnostics, FCCP, carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone, GP, glycerol-3-phosphate, GPDH, mitochondrial FAD-dependent glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, Lymphocytes, Mitochondrial diseases, OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation, Oxidative phosphorylation, PAGE, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Respirometry, TMPD, tetramethylphenylenediamine, TMRM, tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester, cI–cV, respiratory chain complexes I–V, s3, state 3-ADP, s3u, state 3-uncoupled, s4o, state 4-oligomycin, ΔΨm, mitochondrial membrane potential,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Mitochondrial respiratory chain is organised into supramolecular structures that can be preserved in mild detergent solubilisates and resolved by native electrophoretic systems. Supercomplexes of respiratory complexes I, III and IV as well as multimeric forms of ATP synthase are well established. However, the involvement of complex II, linking respiratory chain with tricarboxylic acid cycle, in mitochondrial supercomplexes is questionable. Here we show that digitonin-solubilised complex II quantitatively forms high molecular weight structures (CIIhmw) that can be resolved by clear native electrophoresis. CIIhmw structures are enzymatically active and differ in electrophoretic mobility between tissues (500 - over 1000 kDa) and cultured cells (400-670 kDa). While their formation is unaffected by isolated defects in other respiratory chain complexes, they are destabilised in mtDNA-depleted, rho0 cells. Molecular interactions responsible for the assembly of CIIhmw are rather weak with the complexes being more stable in tissues than in cultured cells. While electrophoretic studies and immunoprecipitation experiments of CIIhmw do not indicate specific interactions with the respiratory chain complexes I, III or IV or enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, they point out to a specific interaction between CII and ATP synthase.

• MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Metabolic Networks and Pathways MeSH
• Mitochondria genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Molecular Weight MeSH
• Organ Specificity MeSH
• Oxidative Phosphorylation MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex II chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Electron Transport MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex II MeSH