TY - JOUR AB - V (vacuolar)/A (archaeal)-type adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases), found in archaeaand eubacteria, couple ATP hydrolysis or synthesis to proton translocation across theplasma membrane using the rotary-catalysis mechanism. They belong to the V-typeATPase family, which differs from the mitochondrial/chloroplast F-type ATP synthasesin overall architecture. We solved cryo–electron microscopy structures of the intactThermus thermophilusV/A-ATPase, reconstituted into lipid nanodiscs, in three rotationalstates and two substates. These structures indicate substantial flexibility betweenV1and Voin a working enzyme, which results from mechanical competition between centralshaft rotation and resistance from the peripheral stalks. We also describedetails of adenosine diphosphate inhibition release, V1-Votorque transmission, andproton translocation, which are relevant for the entire V-type ATPase family. AU - Zhou, Long AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 6859 IS - 6455 JF - Science SN - 0036-8075 TI - Structure and conformational plasticity of the intact Thermus thermophilus V/A-type ATPase VL - 365 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Qi, Chao AU - Minin, Giulio Di AU - Vercellino, Irene AU - Wutz, Anton AU - Korkhov, Volodymyr M. ID - 6919 IS - 9 JF - Science Advances TI - Structural basis of sterol recognition by human hedgehog receptor PTCH1 VL - 5 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes are organized into supercomplexes (SCs) of defined stoichiometry, which have been proposed to regulate electron flux via substrate channeling. We demonstrate that CoQ trapping in the isolated SC I+III2 limits complex (C)I turnover, arguing against channeling. The SC structure, resolved at up to 3.8 Å in four distinct states, suggests that CoQ oxidation may be rate limiting because of unequal access of CoQ to the active sites of CIII2. CI shows a transition between “closed” and “open” conformations, accompanied by the striking rotation of a key transmembrane helix. Furthermore, the state of CI affects the conformational flexibility within CIII2, demonstrating crosstalk between the enzymes. CoQ was identified at only three of the four binding sites in CIII2, suggesting that interaction with CI disrupts CIII2 symmetry in a functionally relevant manner. Together, these observations indicate a more nuanced functional role for the SCs. AU - Letts, James A AU - Fiedorczuk, Karol AU - Degliesposti, Gianluca AU - Skehel, Mark AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 7395 IS - 6 JF - Molecular Cell SN - 1097-2765 TI - Structures of respiratory supercomplex I+III2 reveal functional and conformational crosstalk VL - 75 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Proton-translocating transhydrogenase (also known as nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT)) is found in the plasma membranes of bacteria and the inner mitochondrial membranes of eukaryotes. NNT catalyses the transfer of a hydride between NADH and NADP+, coupled to the translocation of one proton across the membrane. Its main physiological function is the generation of NADPH, which is a substrate in anabolic reactions and a regulator of oxidative status; however, NNT may also fine-tune the Krebs cycle1,2. NNT deficiency causes familial glucocorticoid deficiency in humans and metabolic abnormalities in mice, similar to those observed in type II diabetes3,4. The catalytic mechanism of NNT has been proposed to involve a rotation of around 180° of the entire NADP(H)-binding domain that alternately participates in hydride transfer and proton-channel gating. However, owing to the lack of high-resolution structures of intact NNT, the details of this process remain unclear5,6. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of intact mammalian NNT in different conformational states. We show how the NADP(H)-binding domain opens the proton channel to the opposite sides of the membrane, and we provide structures of these two states. We also describe the catalytically important interfaces and linkers between the membrane and the soluble domains and their roles in nucleotide exchange. These structures enable us to propose a revised mechanism for a coupling process in NNT that is consistent with a large body of previous biochemical work. Our results are relevant to the development of currently unavailable NNT inhibitors, which may have therapeutic potential in ischaemia reperfusion injury, metabolic syndrome and some cancers7,8,9. AU - Kampjut, Domen AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 6848 IS - 7773 JF - Nature SN - 0028-0836 TI - Structure and mechanism of mitochondrial proton-translocating transhydrogenase VL - 573 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Complex I has an essential role in ATP production by coupling electron transfer from NADH to quinone with translocation of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Isolated complex I deficiency is a frequent cause of mitochondrial inherited diseases. Complex I has also been implicated in cancer, ageing, and neurodegenerative conditions. Until recently, the understanding of complex I deficiency on the molecular level was limited due to the lack of high-resolution structures of the enzyme. However, due to developments in single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), recent studies have reported nearly atomic resolution maps and models of mitochondrial complex I. These structures significantly add to our understanding of complex I mechanism and assembly. The disease-causing mutations are discussed here in their structural context. AU - Fiedorczuk, Karol AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 152 IS - 10 JF - Trends in Cell Biology TI - Mammalian mitochondrial complex I structure and disease causing mutations VL - 28 ER - TY - CHAP AB - Complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) plays a central role in cellular energy generation, contributing to the proton motive force used to produce ATP. It couples the transfer of two electrons between NADH and quinone to translocation of four protons across the membrane. It is the largest protein assembly of bacterial and mitochondrial respiratory chains, composed, in mammals, of up to 45 subunits with a total molecular weight of ∼1 MDa. Bacterial enzyme is about half the size, providing the important “minimal” model of complex I. The l-shaped complex consists of a hydrophilic arm, where electron transfer occurs, and a membrane arm, where proton translocation takes place. Previously, we have solved the crystal structures of the hydrophilic domain of complex I from Thermus thermophilus and of the membrane domain from Escherichia coli, followed by the atomic structure of intact, entire complex I from T. thermophilus. Recently, we have solved by cryo-EM a first complete atomic structure of mammalian (ovine) mitochondrial complex I. Core subunits are well conserved from the bacterial version, whilst supernumerary subunits form an interlinked, stabilizing shell around the core. Subunits containing additional cofactors, including Zn ion, NADPH and phosphopantetheine, probably have regulatory roles. Dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I is implicated in many human neurodegenerative diseases. The structure of mammalian enzyme provides many insights into complex I mechanism, assembly, maturation and dysfunction, allowing detailed molecular analysis of disease-causing mutations. AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ED - Wikström, Mårten ID - 444 SN - 978-1-78262-865-1 T2 - Mechanisms of primary energy transduction in biology TI - Structure of respiratory complex I: “Minimal” bacterial and “de luxe” mammalian versions ER - TY - JOUR AB - The oxidative phosphorylation electron transport chain (OXPHOS-ETC) of the inner mitochondrial membrane is composed of five large protein complexes, named CI-CV. These complexes convert energy from the food we eat into ATP, a small molecule used to power a multitude of essential reactions throughout the cell. OXPHOS-ETC complexes are organized into supercomplexes (SCs) of defined stoichiometry: CI forms a supercomplex with CIII2 and CIV (SC I+III2+IV, known as the respirasome), as well as with CIII2 alone (SC I+III2). CIII2 forms a supercomplex with CIV (SC III2+IV) and CV forms dimers (CV2). Recent cryo-EM studies have revealed the structures of SC I+III2+IV and SC I+III2. Furthermore, recent work has shed light on the assembly and function of the SCs. Here we review and compare these recent studies and discuss how they have advanced our understanding of mitochondrial electron transport. AU - Letts, James A AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 515 IS - 10 JF - Nature Structural and Molecular Biology SN - 15459993 TI - Clarifying the supercomplex: The higher-order organization of the mitochondrial electron transport chain VL - 24 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae is decorated with a special class of surface-proteins known as choline-binding proteins (CBPs) attached to phosphorylcholine (PCho) moieties from cell-wall teichoic acids. By a combination of X-ray crystallography, NMR, molecular dynamics techniques and in vivo virulence and phagocytosis studies, we provide structural information of choline-binding protein L (CbpL) and demonstrate its impact on pneumococcal pathogenesis and immune evasion. CbpL is a very elongated three-module protein composed of (i) an Excalibur Ca 2+ -binding domain -reported in this work for the very first time-, (ii) an unprecedented anchorage module showing alternate disposition of canonical and non-canonical choline-binding sites that allows vine-like binding of fully-PCho-substituted teichoic acids (with two choline moieties per unit), and (iii) a Ltp-Lipoprotein domain. Our structural and infection assays indicate an important role of the whole multimodular protein allowing both to locate CbpL at specific places on the cell wall and to interact with host components in order to facilitate pneumococcal lung infection and transmigration from nasopharynx to the lungs and blood. CbpL implication in both resistance against killing by phagocytes and pneumococcal pathogenesis further postulate this surface-protein as relevant among the pathogenic arsenal of the pneumococcus. AU - Gutierrez-Fernandez, Javier AU - Saleh, Malek AU - Alcorlo, Martín AU - Gómez Mejóa, Alejandro AU - Pantoja Uceda, David AU - Treviño, Miguel AU - Vob, Franziska AU - Abdullah, Mohammed AU - Galán Bartual, Sergio AU - Seinen, Jolien AU - Sánchez Murcia, Pedro AU - Gago, Federico AU - Bruix, Marta AU - Hammerschmidt, Sven AU - Hermoso, Juan ID - 1186 JF - Scientific Reports TI - Modular architecture and unique teichoic acid recognition features of choline-binding protein L CbpL contributing to pneumococcal pathogenesis VL - 6 ER - TY - JOUR AB - NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the largest (∼1 MDa) and the least characterized complex of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Because of the ease of sample availability, previous work has focused almost exclusively on bovine complex I. However, only medium resolution structural analyses of this complex have been reported. Working with other mammalian complex I homologues is a potential approach for overcoming these limitations. Due to the inherent difficulty of expressing large membrane protein complexes, screening of complex I homologues is limited to large mammals reared for human consumption. The high sequence identity among these available sources may preclude the benefits of screening. Here, we report the characterization of complex I purified from Ovis aries (ovine) heart mitochondria. All 44 unique subunits of the intact complex were identified by mass spectrometry. We identified differences in the subunit composition of subcomplexes of ovine complex I as compared with bovine, suggesting differential stability of inter-subunit interactions within the complex. Furthermore, the 42-kDa subunit, which is easily lost from the bovine enzyme, remains tightly bound to ovine complex I. Additionally, we developed a novel purification protocol for highly active and stable mitochondrial complex I using the branched-chain detergent lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol. Our data demonstrate that, although closely related, significant differences exist between the biochemical properties of complex I prepared from ovine and bovine mitochondria and that ovine complex I represents a suitable alternative target for further structural studies. AU - Letts, James A AU - Degliesposti, Gianluca AU - Fiedorczuk, Karol AU - Skehel, Mark AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1209 IS - 47 JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry TI - Purification of ovine respiratory complex i results in a highly active and stable preparation VL - 291 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Mitochondrial complex I (also known as NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) contributes to cellular energy production by transferring electrons from NADH to ubiquinone coupled to proton translocation across the membrane. It is the largest protein assembly of the respiratory chain with a total mass of 970 kilodaltons. Here we present a nearly complete atomic structure of ovine (Ovis aries) mitochondrial complex I at 3.9 Å resolution, solved by cryo-electron microscopy with cross-linking and mass-spectrometry mapping experiments. All 14 conserved core subunits and 31 mitochondria-specific supernumerary subunits are resolved within the L-shaped molecule. The hydrophilic matrix arm comprises flavin mononucleotide and 8 iron-sulfur clusters involved in electron transfer, and the membrane arm contains 78 transmembrane helices, mostly contributed by antiporter-like subunits involved in proton translocation. Supernumerary subunits form an interlinked, stabilizing shell around the conserved core. Tightly bound lipids (including cardiolipins) further stabilize interactions between the hydrophobic subunits. Subunits with possible regulatory roles contain additional cofactors, NADPH and two phosphopantetheine molecules, which are shown to be involved in inter-subunit interactions. We observe two different conformations of the complex, which may be related to the conformationally driven coupling mechanism and to the active-deactive transition of the enzyme. Our structure provides insight into the mechanism, assembly, maturation and dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I, and allows detailed molecular analysis of disease-causing mutations. AU - Fiedorczuk, Karol AU - Letts, James A AU - Degliesposti, Gianluca AU - Kaszuba, Karol AU - Skehel, Mark AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1226 IS - 7625 JF - Nature TI - Atomic structure of the entire mammalian mitochondrial complex i VL - 538 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes are organized into supercomplexes responsible for carrying out cellular respiration. Here we present three architectures of mammalian (ovine) supercomplexes determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We identify two distinct arrangements of supercomplex CICIII 2 CIV (the respirasome) - a major 'tight' form and a minor 'loose' form (resolved at the resolution of 5.8 Å and 6.7 Å, respectively), which may represent different stages in supercomplex assembly or disassembly. We have also determined an architecture of supercomplex CICIII 2 at 7.8 Å resolution. All observed density can be attributed to the known 80 subunits of the individual complexes, including 132 transmembrane helices. The individual complexes form tight interactions that vary between the architectures, with complex IV subunit COX7a switching contact from complex III to complex I. The arrangement of active sites within the supercomplex may help control reactive oxygen species production. To our knowledge, these are the first complete architectures of the dominant, physiologically relevant state of the electron transport chain. AU - Letts, James A AU - Fiedorczuk, Karol AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1232 IS - 7622 JF - Nature TI - The architecture of respiratory supercomplexes VL - 537 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The cytochrome (cyt) bc 1 complex is an integral component of the respiratory electron transfer chain sustaining the energy needs of organisms ranging from humans to bacteria. Due to its ubiquitous role in the energy metabolism, both the oxidation and reduction of the enzyme's substrate co-enzyme Q has been studied vigorously. Here, this vast amount of data is reassessed after probing the substrate reduction steps at the Q i-site of the cyt bc 1 complex of Rhodobacter capsulatus using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations suggest that the Lys251 side chain could rotate into the Q i-site to facilitate binding of half-protonated semiquinone-a reaction intermediate that is potentially formed during substrate reduction. At this bent pose, the Lys251 forms a salt bridge with the Asp252, thus making direct proton transfer possible. In the neutral state, the lysine side chain stays close to the conserved binding location of cardiolipin (CL). This back-and-forth motion between the CL and Asp252 indicates that Lys251 functions as a proton shuttle controlled by pH-dependent negative feedback. The CL/K/D switching, which represents a refinement to the previously described CL/K pathway, fine-tunes the proton transfer process. Lastly, the simulation data was used to formulate a mechanism for reducing the substrate at the Q i-site. AU - Postila, Pekka AU - Kaszuba, Karol AU - Kuleta, Patryk AU - Vattulainen, Ilpo AU - Sarewicz, Marcin AU - Osyczka, Artur AU - Róg, Tomasz ID - 1276 JF - Scientific Reports TI - Atomistic determinants of co-enzyme Q reduction at the Qi-site of the cytochrome bc1 complex VL - 6 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Respiratory complex I transfers electrons from NADH to quinone, utilizing the reaction energy to translocate protons across the membrane. It is a key enzyme of the respiratory chain of many prokaryotic and most eukaryotic organisms. The reversible NADH oxidation reaction is facilitated in complex I by non-covalently bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Here we report that the catalytic activity of E. coli complex I with artificial electron acceptors potassium ferricyanide (FeCy) and hexaamineruthenium (HAR) is significantly inhibited in the enzyme pre-reduced by NADH. Further, we demonstrate that the inhibition is caused by reversible dissociation of FMN. The binding constant (Kd) for FMN increases from the femto- or picomolar range in oxidized complex I to the nanomolar range in the NADH reduced enzyme, with an FMN dissociation time constant of ~ 5 s. The oxidation state of complex I, rather than that of FMN, proved critical to the dissociation. Such dissociation is not observed with the T. thermophilus enzyme and our analysis suggests that the difference may be due to the unusually high redox potential of Fe-S cluster N1a in E. coli. It is possible that the enzyme attenuates ROS production in vivo by releasing FMN under highly reducing conditions. AU - Holt, Peter AU - Efremov, Rouslan AU - Nakamaru Ogiso, Eiko AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1288 IS - 11 JF - Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Bioenergetics TI - Reversible FMN dissociation from Escherichia coli respiratory complex I VL - 1857 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) plays a central role in cellular energy production, coupling electron transfer between NADH and quinone to proton translocation. It is the largest protein assembly of respiratory chains and one of the most elaborate redox membrane proteins known. Bacterial enzyme is about half the size of mitochondrial and thus provides its important "minimal" model. Dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I is implicated in many human neurodegenerative diseases. The L-shaped complex consists of a hydrophilic arm, where electron transfer occurs, and a membrane arm, where proton translocation takes place. We have solved the crystal structures of the hydrophilic domain of complex I from Thermus thermophilus, the membrane domain from Escherichia coli and recently of the intact, entire complex I from T. thermophilus (536. kDa, 16 subunits, 9 iron-sulphur clusters, 64 transmembrane helices). The 95. Å long electron transfer pathway through the enzyme proceeds from the primary electron acceptor flavin mononucleotide through seven conserved Fe-S clusters to the unusual elongated quinone-binding site at the interface with the membrane domain. Four putative proton translocation channels are found in the membrane domain, all linked by the central flexible axis containing charged residues. The redox energy of electron transfer is coupled to proton translocation by the as yet undefined mechanism proposed to involve long-range conformational changes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Respiratory complex I, edited by Volker Zickermann and Ulrich Brandt. AU - Berrisford, John AU - Baradaran, Rozbeh AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1521 IS - 7 JF - Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Bioenergetics TI - Structure of bacterial respiratory complex I VL - 1857 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The mitochondrial respiratory chain, also known as the electron transport chain (ETC), is crucial to life, and energy production in the form of ATP is the main mitochondrial function. Three proton-translocating enzymes of the ETC, namely complexes I, III and IV, generate proton motive force, which in turn drives ATP synthase (complex V). The atomic structures and basic mechanisms of most respiratory complexes have previously been established, with the exception of complex I, the largest complex in the ETC. Recently, the crystal structure of the entire complex I was solved using a bacterial enzyme. The structure provided novel insights into the core architecture of the complex, the electron transfer and proton translocation pathways, as well as the mechanism that couples these two processes. AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1638 IS - 6 JF - Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology TI - A giant molecular proton pump: structure and mechanism of respiratory complex I VL - 16 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The 1 MDa, 45-subunit proton-pumping NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the largest complex of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The molecular mechanism of complex I is central to the metabolism of cells, but has yet to be fully characterized. The last two years have seen steady progress towards this goal with the first atomic-resolution structure of the entire bacterial complex I, a 5 Å cryo-electron microscopy map of bovine mitochondrial complex I and a ∼3.8 Å resolution X-ray crystallographic study of mitochondrial complex I from yeast Yarrowia lipotytica. In this review we will discuss what we have learned from these studies and what remains to be elucidated. AU - Letts, Jame A AU - Sazanov, Leonid A ID - 1683 IS - 8 JF - Current Opinion in Structural Biology TI - Gaining mass: The structure of respiratory complex I-from bacterial towards mitochondrial versions VL - 33 ER -