Assembly of the complexes of oxidative phosphorylation triggers the remodeling of cardiolipin

Immunometabolic adaptation in monocytes underpins functional changes during pregnancy

Metabolic heterogeneity is a determinant of immune cell function. The normal physiological metabolic reprogramming of pregnancy that ensures the fuel requirements of mother and baby are met, might also underpin changes in immunity that occur with pregnancy and manifest as altered responses to pathogens and changes to autoimmune disease symptoms. Using peripheral blood from pregnant women at term, we reveal that monocytes lose M2-like and gain M1-like properties accompanied by reductions in mitochondrial mass, maximal respiration, and cardiolipin content in pregnancy; glycolysis is unperturbed. We establish that muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-stimulated cytokine production relies on oxidative metabolism, then show in pregnancy reduced cytokine production in response to MDP but not LPS. Overall, mitochondrially centered metabolic capabilities of late gestation monocytes are down-regulated revealing natural plasticity in monocyte phenotype and function that could reveal targets for improving pregnancy outcomes but also yield alternative therapeutic approaches to diverse metabolic and/or immune-mediated diseases beyond pregnancy.

Remodelling of mitochondrial function by import of specific lipids at multiple membrane-contact sites

Organelles form physical and functional contact between each other to exchange information, metabolic intermediates, and signaling molecules. Tethering factors and contact site complexes bring partnering organelles into close spatial proximity to establish membrane contact sites (MCSs), which specialize in unique functions like lipid transport or Ca2+ signaling. Here, we discuss how MCSs form dynamic platforms that are important for lipid metabolism. We provide a perspective on how import of specific lipids from the ER and other organelles may contribute to remodeling of mitochondria during nutrient starvation. We speculate that mitochondrial adaptation is achieved by connecting several compartments into a highly dynamic organelle network. The lipid droplet appears to be a central hub in coordinating the function of these organelle neighborhoods.

Phosphorylations and Acetylations of Cytochrome c Control Mitochondrial Respiration, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, Energy, ROS, and Apoptosis

Cytochrome c (Cytc) has both life-sustaining and cellular death-related functions, depending on subcellular localization. Within mitochondria, Cytc acts as a single electron carrier as part of the electron transport chain (ETC). When released into the cytosol after cellular insult, Cytc triggers the assembly of the apoptosome, committing the cell to intrinsic apoptosis. Due to these dual natures, Cytc requires strong regulation by the cell, including post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and acetylation. Six phosphorylation sites and three acetylation sites have been detected on Cytc in vivo. Phosphorylations at T28, S47, Y48, T49, T58, and Y97 tend to be present under basal conditions in a tissue-specific manner. In contrast, the acetylations at K8, K39, and K53 tend to be present in specific pathophysiological conditions. All of the phosphorylation sites and two of the three acetylation sites partially inhibit respiration, which we propose serves to maintain an optimal, intermediate mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) to minimize reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Cytc phosphorylations are lost during ischemia, which drives ETC hyperactivity and ΔΨm hyperpolarization, resulting in exponential ROS production thus causing reperfusion injury following ischemia. One of the acetylation sites, K39, shows a unique behavior in that it is gained during ischemia, stimulating respiration while blocking apoptosis, demonstrating that skeletal muscle, which is particularly resilient to ischemia-reperfusion injury compared to other organs, possesses a different metabolic strategy to handle ischemic stress. The regulation of Cytc by these post-translational modifications underscores the importance of Cytc for the ETC, ΔΨm, ROS production, apoptosis, and the cell as a whole.

Consuming a Linoleate-Rich Diet Increases Concentrations of Tetralinoleoyl Cardiolipin in Mouse Liver and Alters Hepatic Mitochondrial Respiration

BACKGROUND

Hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction is a major cause of fat accumulation in the liver. Individuals with fatty liver conditions have hepatic mitochondrial structural abnormalities and a switch in the side chain composition of the mitochondrial phospholipid, cardiolipin, from poly- to monounsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid (LA), an essential dietary fatty acid, is required to remodel nascent cardiolipin (CL) to its tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin (L4CL, CL with 4 LA side chains) form, which is integral for mitochondrial membrane structure and function to promote fatty acid oxidation. It is unknown, however, whether increasing LA in the diet can increase hepatic L4CL concentrations and improve mitochondrial respiration in the liver compared with a diet rich in monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids.

OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this study was to test the ability of a diet fortified with LA-rich safflower oil (SO), compared with the one fortified with lard (LD), to increase concentrations of L4CL and improve mitochondrial respiration in the livers of mice.

METHODS

Twenty-four (9-wk-old) C57 BL/J6 male mice were fed either the SO or LD diets for ∼100 d, whereas food intake and body weight, fasting glucose, and glucose tolerance tests were performed to determine any changes in glycemic control.

RESULTS

Livers from mice fed SO diet had higher relative concentrations of hepatic L4CL species compared with LD diet-fed mice (P value = 0.004). Uncoupled mitochondria of mice fed the SO diet, compared with LD diet, had an increased baseline oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and succinate-driven respiration (P values = 0.03 and 0.01). SO diet-fed mice had increased LA content in all phospholipid classes compared with LD-fed mice (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reveal that maintaining or increasing hepatic L4CL may result in increased OCR in uncoupled hepatic mitochondria in healthy mice whereas higher oleate content of CL reduced mitochondrial function shown by lower OCR in uncoupled mitochondria.

Cardiolipin prolongs the lifetimes of respiratory proteins in Drosophila flight muscle

Respiratory complexes and cardiolipins have exceptionally long lifetimes. The fact that they co-localize in mitochondrial cristae raises the question of whether their longevities have a common cause and whether the longevity of OXPHOS proteins is dependent on cardiolipin. To address these questions, we developed a method to measure side-by-side the half-lives of proteins and lipids in wild-type Drosophila and cardiolipin-deficient mutants. We fed adult flies with stable isotope-labeled precursors (13C615N2-lysine or 13C6-glucose) and determined the relative abundance of heavy isotopomers in protein and lipid species by mass spectrometry. To minimize the confounding effects of tissue regeneration, we restricted our analysis to the thorax, the bulk of which consists of post-mitotic flight muscles. Analysis of 680 protein and 45 lipid species showed that the subunits of respiratory complexes I-V and the carriers for phosphate and ADP/ATP were among the longest-lived proteins (average half-life of 48 ± 16 days) while the molecular species of cardiolipin were the longest-lived lipids (average half-life of 27 ± 6 days). The remarkable longevity of these crista residents was not shared by all mitochondrial proteins, especially not by those residing in the matrix and the inner boundary membrane. Ablation of cardiolipin synthase, which causes replacement of cardiolipin by phosphatidylglycerol, and ablation of tafazzin, which causes partial replacement of cardiolipin by monolyso-cardiolipin, decreased the lifetimes of the respiratory complexes. Ablation of tafazzin also decreased the lifetimes of the remaining cardiolipin species. These data suggest that an important function of cardiolipin in mitochondria is to protect respiratory complexes from degradation.

Mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism in health and disease

Studies of rare human genetic disorders of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism have highlighted the crucial role that membrane phospholipids play in mitochondrial bioenergetics and human health. The phospholipid composition of mitochondrial membranes is highly conserved from yeast to humans, with each class of phospholipid performing a specific function in the assembly and activity of various mitochondrial membrane proteins, including the oxidative phosphorylation complexes. Recent studies have uncovered novel roles of cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine, two crucial mitochondrial phospholipids, in organismal physiology. Studies on inter-organellar and intramitochondrial phospholipid transport have significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms that maintain mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis. Here, we discuss these recent advances in the function and transport of mitochondrial phospholipids while describing their biochemical and biophysical properties and biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we highlight the roles of mitochondrial phospholipids in human health by describing the various genetic diseases caused by disruptions in their biosynthesis and discuss advances in therapeutic strategies for Barth syndrome, the best-studied disorder of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism.

Phospholipids can regulate complex I assembly independent of their role in maintaining mitochondrial membrane integrity

Several phospholipid (PL) molecules are intertwined with some mitochondrial complex I (CI) subunits in the membrane domain of CI, but their function is unclear. We report that when the Drosophila melanogaster ortholog of the intramitochondrial PL transporter, STARD7, is severely disrupted, assembly of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system is impaired, and the biogenesis of several CI subcomplexes is hampered. However, intriguingly, a restrained knockdown of STARD7 impairs the incorporation of NDUFS5 and NDUFA1 into the proximal part of the CI membrane domain without directly affecting the incorporation of subunits in the distal part of the membrane domain, OXPHOS complexes already assembled, or mitochondrial cristae integrity. Importantly, the restrained knockdown of STARD7 appears to induce a modest amount of cardiolipin remodeling, indicating that there could be some alteration in the composition of the mitochondrial phospholipidome. We conclude that PLs can regulate CI biogenesis independent of their role in maintaining mitochondrial membrane integrity.

A molecular rotor FLIM probe reveals dynamic coupling between mitochondrial inner membrane fluidity and cellular respiration

The inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), housing components of the electron transport chain (ETC), is the site for respiration. The ETC relies on mobile carriers; therefore, it has long been argued that the fluidity of the densely packed IMM can potentially influence ETC flux and cell physiology. However, it is unclear if cells temporally modulate IMM fluidity upon metabolic or other stimulation. Using a photostable, red-shifted, cell-permeable molecular-rotor, Mitorotor-1, we present a multiplexed approach for quantitatively mapping IMM fluidity in living cells. This reveals IMM fluidity to be linked to cellular-respiration and responsive to stimuli. Multiple approaches combining in vitro experiments and live-cell fluorescence (FLIM) lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) show Mitorotor-1 to robustly report IMM 'microviscosity'/fluidity through changes in molecular free volume. Interestingly, external osmotic stimuli cause controlled swelling/compaction of mitochondria, thereby revealing a graded Mitorotor-1 response to IMM microviscosity. Lateral diffusion measurements of IMM correlate with microviscosity reported via Mitorotor-1 FLIM-lifetime, showing convergence of independent approaches for measuring IMM local-order. Mitorotor-1 FLIM reveals mitochondrial heterogeneity in IMM fluidity; between-and-within cells and across single mitochondrion. Multiplexed FLIM lifetime imaging of Mitorotor-1 and NADH autofluorescence reveals that IMM fluidity positively correlates with respiration, across individual cells. Remarkably, we find that stimulating respiration, through nutrient deprivation or chemically, also leads to increase in IMM fluidity. These data suggest that modulating IMM fluidity supports enhanced respiratory flux. Our study presents a robust method for measuring IMM fluidity and suggests a dynamic regulatory paradigm of modulating IMM local order on changing metabolic demand.

The critical role of cardiolipin in metazoan differentiation, development, and maturation

Cardiolipins are phospholipids that are central to proper mitochondrial functioning. Because mitochondria play crucial roles in differentiation, development, and maturation, we would also expect cardiolipin to play major roles in these processes. Indeed, cardiolipin has been implicated in the mechanism of three human diseases that affect young infants, implying developmental abnormalities. In this review, we will: (1) Review the biology of cardiolipin; (2) Outline the evidence for essential roles of cardiolipin during organismal development, including embryogenesis and cell maturation in vertebrate organisms; (3) Place the role(s) of cardiolipin during embryogenesis within the larger context of the roles of mitochondria in development; and (4) Suggest avenues for future research.

Mitochondrial cholesterol: Metabolism and impact on redox biology and disease

Cholesterol is a crucial component of membrane bilayers by regulating their structural and functional properties. Cholesterol traffics to different cellular compartments including mitochondria, whose cholesterol content is low compared to other cell membranes. Despite the limited availability of cholesterol in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), the metabolism of cholesterol in the IMM plays important physiological roles, acting as the precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones and neurosteroids in steroidogenic tissues and specific neurons, respectively, or the synthesis of bile acids through an alternative pathway in the liver. Accumulation of cholesterol in mitochondria above physiological levels has a negative impact on mitochondrial function through several mechanisms, including the limitation of crucial antioxidant defenses, such as the glutathione redox cycle, increased generation of reactive oxygen species and consequent oxidative modification of cardiolipin, and defective assembly of respiratory supercomplexes. These adverse consequences of increased mitochondrial cholesterol trafficking trigger the onset of oxidative stress and cell death, and, ultimately, contribute to the development of diverse diseases, including metabolic liver diseases (i.e. fatty liver disease and liver cancer), as well as lysosomal disorders (i.e. Niemann-Pick type C disease) and neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. Alzheimer's disease). In this review, we summarize the metabolism and regulation of mitochondrial cholesterol and its potential impact on liver and neurodegenerative diseases.

Knockout of cardiolipin synthase disrupts postnatal cardiac development by inhibiting the maturation of mitochondrial cristae

Background

Cardiomyocyte maturation requires a massive increase in respiratory enzymes and their assembly into long-lived complexes of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The molecular mechanisms underlying the maturation of cardiac mitochondria have not been established.

Methods

To determine whether the mitochondria-specific lipid cardiolipin is involved in cardiac maturation, we created a cardiomyocyte-restricted knockout (KO) of cardiolipin synthase ( Crls1 ) in mice and studied the postnatal development of the heart. We also measured the turnover rates of proteins and lipids in cardiolipin-deficient flight muscle from Drosophila, a tissue that has mitochondria with high OXPHOS activity like the heart.

Results

Crls1KO mice survived the prenatal period but failed to accumulate OXPHOS proteins during postnatal maturation and succumbed to heart failure at the age of 2 weeks. Turnover measurements showed that the exceptionally long half-life of OXPHOS proteins is critically dependent on cardiolipin.

Conclusions

Cardiolipin is essential for the postnatal maturation of cardiomyocytes because it allows mitochondrial cristae to accumulate OXPHOS proteins to a high concentration and to shield them from degradation.

Insights into complex I assembly: Function of NDUFAF1 and a link with cardiolipin remodeling

Respiratory complex I is a ~1-MDa proton pump in mitochondria. Its structure has been revealed in great detail, but the structural basis of its assembly, in humans involving at least 15 assembly factors, is essentially unknown. We determined cryo-electron microscopy structures of assembly intermediates associated with assembly factor NDUFAF1 in a yeast model system. Subunits ND2 and NDUFC2 together with assembly factors NDUFAF1 and CIA84 form the nucleation point of the NDUFAF1-dependent assembly pathway. Unexpectedly, the cardiolipin remodeling enzyme tafazzin is an integral component of this core complex. In a later intermediate, all 12 subunits of the proximal proton pump module have assembled. NDUFAF1 locks the central ND3 subunit in an assembly-competent conformation, and major rearrangements of central subunits are required for complex I maturation.

IDH2-mediated regulation of the biogenesis of the oxidative phosphorylation system

Several subunits in the matrix domain of mitochondrial complex I (CI) have been posited to be redox sensors for CI, but how elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) impinge on CI assembly is unknown. We report that genetic disruption of the mitochondrial NADPH-generating enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), in Drosophila flight muscles results in elevated ROS levels and impairment of assembly of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS). Mechanistically, this begins with an inhibition of biosynthesis of the matrix domain of CI and progresses to involve multiple OXPHOS complexes. Despite activation of multiple compensatory mechanisms, including enhanced coenzyme Q biosynthesis and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response, ferroptotic cell death ensues. Disruption of enzymes that eliminate hydrogen peroxide, but not those that eliminate the superoxide radical, recapitulates the phenotype, thereby implicating hydrogen peroxide as the signaling molecule involved. Thus, IDH2 modulates the assembly of the matrix domain of CI and ultimately that of the entire OXPHOS.

Barth Syndrome Cardiomyopathy: An Update

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked mitochondrial lipid disorder caused by mutations in the TAFAZZIN (TAZ) gene, which encodes a mitochondrial acyltransferase/transacylase required for cardiolipin (CL) biosynthesis. Cardiomyopathy is a major clinical feature of BTHS. During the past four decades, we have witnessed many landmark discoveries that have led to a greater understanding of clinical features of BTHS cardiomyopathy and their molecular basis, as well as the therapeutic targets for this disease. Recently published Taz knockout mouse models provide useful experimental models for studying BTHS cardiomyopathy and testing potential therapeutic approaches. This review aims to summarize key findings of the clinical features, molecular mechanisms, and potential therapeutic approaches for BTHS cardiomyopathy, with particular emphasis on the most recent studies.

Applying Sodium Carbonate Extraction Mass Spectrometry to Investigate Defects in the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain

Mitochondria are complex organelles containing 13 proteins encoded by mitochondrial DNA and over 1,000 proteins encoded on nuclear DNA. Many mitochondrial proteins are associated with the inner or outer mitochondrial membranes, either peripherally or as integral membrane proteins, while others reside in either of the two soluble mitochondrial compartments, the mitochondrial matrix and the intermembrane space. The biogenesis of the five complexes of the oxidative phosphorylation system are exemplars of this complexity. These large multi-subunit complexes are comprised of more than 80 proteins with both membrane integral and peripheral associations and require soluble, membrane integral and peripherally associated assembly factor proteins for their biogenesis. Mutations causing human mitochondrial disease can lead to defective complex assembly due to the loss or altered function of the affected protein and subsequent destabilization of its interactors. Here we couple sodium carbonate extraction with quantitative mass spectrometry (SCE-MS) to track changes in the membrane association of the mitochondrial proteome across multiple human knockout cell lines. In addition to identifying the membrane association status of over 840 human mitochondrial proteins, we show how SCE-MS can be used to understand the impacts of defective complex assembly on protein solubility, giving insights into how specific subunits and sub-complexes become destabilized.

Mechano-energetic aspects of Barth syndrome

Energy-demanding organs like the heart are strongly dependent on oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. Oxidative phosphorylation is governed by the respiratory chain located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The inner mitochondrial membrane is the only cellular membrane with significant amounts of the phospholipid cardiolipin, and cardiolipin was found to directly interact with a number of essential protein complexes, including respiratory chain complexes I to V. An inherited defect in the biogenesis of cardiolipin causes Barth syndrome, which is associated with cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, neutropenia and growth retardation. Energy conversion is dependent on reducing equivalents, which are replenished by oxidative metabolism in the Krebs cycle. Cardiolipin deficiency in Barth syndrome also affects Krebs cycle activity, metabolite transport and mitochondrial morphology. During excitation-contraction coupling, calcium (Ca²⁺ ) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum drives sarcomeric contraction. At the same time, Ca²⁺ influx into mitochondria drives the activation of Krebs cycle dehydrogenases and the regeneration of reducing equivalents. Reducing equivalents are essential not only for energy conversion, but also for maintaining a redox buffer, which is required to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS). Defects in CL may also affect Ca²⁺ uptake into mitochondria and thereby hamper energy supply and demand matching, but also detoxification of ROS. Here, we review the impact of cardiolipin deficiency on mitochondrial function in Barth syndrome and discuss potential therapeutic strategies.

Lipidome Atlas of the Developing Heart Uncovers Dynamic Membrane Lipid Attributes Underlying Cardiac Structural and Metabolic Maturation

Precise metabolic rewiring during heart organogenesis underlies normal cardiac development. Herein, we utilized high-coverage, quantitative lipidomic approaches to construct lipidomic atlases of whole hearts (861 lipids; 31 classes) and mitochondria (587 lipids; 27 classes) across prenatal and postnatal developmental stages in mice. We uncovered the progressive formation of docosahexaenoyl-phospholipids and enhanced remodeling of C18:2, C20:3, and C20:4 fatty acyl moieties into cardiolipins as cardiac development progresses. A preferential flow of ceramides toward sphingomyelin biosynthesis over complex glycosphingolipid formation was also noted. Using maSigPro and GPclust algorithms, we identified a repertoire of 448 developmentally dynamic lipids and mapped their expression patterns to a library of 550 biologically relevant developmentally dynamic genes. Our combinatorial transcriptomics and lipidomics approaches identified Hadha, Lclat1 , and Lpcat3 as candidate molecular drivers governing the dynamic remodeling of cardiolipins and phospholipids, respectively, in heart development. Our analyses revealed that postnatal cardiolipin remodeling in the heart constitutes a biphasic process, which first accumulates polyunsaturated C78-cardiolipins prior to tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin forming the predominant species. Multiomics analyses supplemented with transmission electron microscopy imaging uncovered enhanced mitochondria–lipid droplet contacts mediated by perilipin-5. Our combinatorial analyses of multiomics data uncovered an association between mitochondrial-resident, docosahexaenoic acid-phospholipids and messenger RNA levels of proton-transporting adenosine triphosphate synthases on inner mitochondrial membranes, which adds credence to the membrane pacemaker theory of metabolism. The current findings offer lipid-centric biological insights potentially important to understanding the molecular basis of cardiac metabolic flexibility and disease pathology.

A simple mechanistic explanation for Barth syndrome and cardiolipin remodeling

Barth syndrome is a multisystem disorder caused by an abnormal metabolism of the mitochondrial lipid cardiolipin. In this review, we discuss physical properties, biosynthesis, membrane assembly, and function of cardiolipin. We hypothesize that cardiolipin reduces packing stress in the inner mitochondrial membrane, which arises as a result of protein crowding. According to this hypothesis, patients with Barth syndrome are unable to meet peak energy demands because they fail to concentrate the proteins of oxidative phosphorylation to a high surface density in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Cardiolipin function in the yeast S. cerevisiae and the lessons learned for Barth syndrome

Cardiolipin (CL) is the signature phospholipid (PL) of mitochondria and plays a pivotal role in mitochondrial and cellular function. Disruption of the CL remodeling gene tafazzin (TAZ) causes the severe genetic disorder Barth syndrome (BTHS). Our current understanding of the function of CL and the mechanism underlying the disease has greatly benefited from studies utilizing the powerful yeast model Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this review, we discuss important findings on the function of CL and its remodeling from yeast studies and the implications of these findings for BTHS, highlighting the potential physiological modifiers that may contribute to the disparities in clinical presentation among BTHS patients.

Interplay between cardiolipin and plasmalogens in Barth syndrome

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a rare inherited metabolic disease resulting from mutations in the gene of the enzyme tafazzin, which catalyzes the acyl chain remodeling of the mitochondrial-specific lipid cardiolipin (CL). Tissue samples of individuals with BTHS present abnormalities in the level and the molecular species of CL. In addition, in tissues of a tafazzin knockdown mouse as well as in cells derived from BTHS patients it has been shown that plasmalogens, a subclass of glycerophospholipids, also have abnormal levels. Likewise, administration of a plasmalogen precursor to cells derived from BTHS patients led to an increase in plasmalogen and to some extent CL levels. These results indicate an interplay between CL and plasmalogens in BTHS. This interdependence is supported by the concomitant loss in these lipids in different pathological conditions. However, currently the molecular mechanism linking CL and plasmalogens is not fully understood. Here, a review of the evidence showing the linkage between the levels of CL and plasmalogens is presented. In addition, putative mechanisms that might play a role in this interplay are proposed. Finally, the opportunity of therapeutic approaches based on the regulation of plasmalogens as new therapies for the treatment of BTHS is discussed.

Long-chain fatty acid oxidation and respiratory complex I deficiencies distinguish Barth Syndrome from idiopathic pediatric cardiomyopathy

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked disorder that results from mutations in the TAFAZZIN gene, which encodes a phospholipid transacylase responsible for generating the mature form of cardiolipin in inner mitochondrial membranes. BTHS patients develop early onset cardiomyopathy and a derangement of intermediary metabolism consistent with mitochondrial disease, but the precise alterations in cardiac metabolism that distinguish BTHS from idiopathic forms of cardiomyopathy are unknown. We performed the first metabolic analysis of myocardial tissue from BTHS cardiomyopathy patients compared to age- and sex-matched patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and nonfailing controls. Results corroborate previous evidence for deficiencies in cardiolipin content and its linoleoyl enrichment as defining features of BTHS cardiomyopathy, and reveal a dramatic accumulation of hydrolyzed (monolyso-) cardiolipin molecular species. Respiratory chain protein deficiencies were observed in both BTHS and DCM, but a selective depletion of complex I was seen only in BTHS after controlling for an apparent loss of mitochondrial density in cardiomyopathic hearts. Distinct shifts in the expression of long-chain fatty acid oxidation enzymes and the tissue acyl-CoA profile of BTHS hearts suggest a specific block in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation upstream of the conventional matrix beta-oxidation cycle, which may be compensated for by a greater reliance upon peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and the catabolism of ketones, amino acids, and pyruvate to meet cardiac energy demands. These results provide a comprehensive foundation for exploring novel therapeutic strategies that target the adaptive and maladaptive metabolic features of BTHS cardiomyopathy.

The lipid environment modulates cardiolipin and phospholipid constitution in wild type and tafazzin-deficient cells

Deficiency of the transacylase tafazzin due to loss of function variants in the X-chromosomal TAFAZZIN gene causes Barth syndrome (BTHS) with severe neonatal or infantile cardiomyopathy, neutropenia, myopathy, and short stature. The condition is characterized by drastic changes in the composition of cardiolipins, a mitochondria-specific class of phospholipids. Studies examining the impact of tafazzin deficiency on the metabolism of other phospholipids have so far generated inhomogeneous and partly conflicting results. Recent studies showed that the cardiolipin composition in cells and different murine tissues is highly dependent on the surrounding lipid environment. In order to study the relevance of different lipid states and tafazzin function for cardiolipin and phospholipid homeostasis we conducted systematic modulation experiments in a CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out model for BTHS. We found that-irrespective of tafazzin function-the composition of cardiolipins strongly depends on the nutritionally available lipid pool. Tafazzin deficiency causes a consistent shift towards cardiolipin species with more saturated and shorter acyl chains. Interestingly, the typical biochemical BTHS phenotype in phospholipid profiles of HEK 293T TAZ knock-out cells strongly depends on the cellular lipid context. In response to altered nutritional lipid compositions, we measured more pronounced changes on phospholipids that were largely masked under standard cell culturing conditions, therewith giving a possible explanation for the conflicting results reported so far on BTHS lipid phenotypes.

Mitochondrial compartmentalization: emerging themes in structure and function

Within cellular structures, compartmentalization is the concept of spatial segregation of macromolecules, metabolites, and biochemical pathways. Therefore, this concept bridges organellar structure and function. Mitochondria are morphologically complex, partitioned into several subcompartments by a topologically elaborate two-membrane system. They are also dynamically polymorphic, undergoing morphogenesis events with an extent and frequency that is only now being appreciated. Thus, mitochondrial compartmentalization is something that must be considered both spatially and temporally. Here, we review new developments in how mitochondrial structure is established and regulated, the factors that underpin the distribution of lipids and proteins, and how they spatially demarcate locations of myriad mitochondrial processes. Consistent with its pre-eminence, disturbed mitochondrial compartmentalization contributes to the dysfunction associated with heritable and aging-related diseases.

Cardiolipin remodeling enables protein crowding in the inner mitochondrial membrane

Mitochondrial cristae are extraordinarily crowded with proteins, which puts stress on the bilayer organization of lipids. We tested the hypothesis that the high concentration of proteins drives the tafazzin-catalyzed remodeling of fatty acids in cardiolipin, thereby reducing bilayer stress in the membrane. Specifically, we tested whether protein crowding induces cardiolipin remodeling and whether the lack of cardiolipin remodeling prevents the membrane from accumulating proteins. In vitro, the incorporation of large amounts of proteins into liposomes altered the outcome of the remodeling reaction. In yeast, the concentration of proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) correlated with the cardiolipin composition. Genetic ablation of either remodeling or biosynthesis of cardiolipin caused a substantial drop in the surface density of OXPHOS proteins in the inner membrane of the mouse heart and Drosophila flight muscle mitochondria. Our data suggest that OXPHOS protein crowding induces cardiolipin remodelling and that remodeled cardiolipin supports the high concentration of these proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

CHD1 controls H3.3 incorporation in adult brain chromatin to maintain metabolic homeostasis and normal lifespan

The ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor CHD1 is essential for the assembly of variant histone H3.3 into paternal chromatin during sperm chromatin remodeling in fertilized eggs. It remains unclear, however, if CHD1 has a similar role in normal diploid cells. Using a specifically tailored quantitative mass spectrometry approach, we show that Chd1 disruption results in reduced H3.3 levels in heads of Chd1 mutant flies. Chd1 deletion perturbs brain chromatin structure in a similar way as H3.3 deletion and leads to global de-repression of transcription. The physiological consequences are reduced food intake, metabolic alterations, and shortened lifespan. Notably, brain-specific CHD1 expression rescues these phenotypes. We further demonstrate a strong genetic interaction between Chd1 and H3.3 chaperone Hira. Thus, our findings establish CHD1 as a factor required for the assembly of H3.3-containing chromatin in adult cells and suggest a crucial role for CHD1 in the brain as a regulator of organismal health and longevity.

Fatty acyl availability modulates cardiolipin composition and alters mitochondrial function in HeLa cells

The molecular assembly of cells depends not only on the balance between anabolism and catabolism but to a large degree on the building blocks available in the environment. For cultured mammalian cells, this is largely determined by the composition of the applied growth medium. Here, we study the impact of lipids in the medium on mitochondrial membrane architecture and function by combining LC-MS/MS lipidomics and functional tests with lipid supplementation experiments in an otherwise serum-free and lipid-free cell culture model. We demonstrate that the composition of mitochondrial cardiolipins strongly depends on the lipid environment in cultured cells and favors the incorporation of essential linoleic acid over other fatty acids. Simultaneously, the mitochondrial respiratory complex I activity was altered, whereas the matrix-localized enzyme citrate synthase was unaffected. This raises the question on a link between membrane composition and respiratory control. In summary, we found a strong dependency of central mitochondrial features on the type of lipids contained in the growth medium. This underlines the importance of considering these factors when using and establishing cell culture models in biomedical research. In summary, we found a strong dependency of central mitochondrial features on the type of lipids contained in the growth medium.

How rotating ATP synthases can modulate membrane structure

F₁F_o-ATP synthase (ATP synthase) is a central membrane protein that synthetizes most of the ATP in the cell through a rotational movement driven by a proton gradient across the hosting membrane. In mitochondria, ATP synthases can form dimers through specific interactions between some subunits of the protein. The dimeric form of ATP synthase provides the protein with a spontaneous curvature that sustain their arrangement at the rim of the high-curvature edges of mitochondrial membrane (cristae). Also, a direct interaction with cardiolipin, a lipid present in the inner mitochondrial membrane, induces the dimerization of ATP synthase molecules along cristae. The deletion of those biochemical interactions abolishes the protein dimerization producing an altered mitochondrial function and morphology. Mechanically, membrane bending is one of the key deformation modes by which mitochondrial membranes can be shaped. In particular, bending rigidity and spontaneous curvature are important physical factors for membrane remodelling. Here, we discuss a complementary mechanism whereby the rotatory movement of the ATP synthase might modify the mechanical properties of lipid bilayers and contribute to the formation and regulation of the membrane invaginations.

Phospholipid Acyl Chain Diversity Controls the Tissue-Specific Assembly of Mitochondrial Cardiolipins

Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid specific for mitochondrial membranes and crucial for many core tasks of this organelle. Its acyl chain configurations are tissue specific, functionally important, and generated via post-biosynthetic remodeling. However, this process lacks the necessary specificity to explain CL diversity, which is especially evident for highly specific CL compositions in mammalian tissues. To investigate the so far elusive regulatory origin of CL homeostasis in mice, we combine lipidomics, integrative transcriptomics, and data-driven machine learning. We demonstrate that not transcriptional regulation, but cellular phospholipid compositions are closely linked to the tissue specificity of CL patterns allowing artificial neural networks to precisely predict cross-tissue CL compositions in a consistent mechanistic specificity rationale. This is especially relevant for the interpretation of disease-related perturbations of CL homeostasis, by allowing differentiation between specific aberrations in CL metabolism and changes caused by global alterations in cellular (phospho-)lipid metabolism.

Cardiolipin, Mitochondria, and Neurological Disease

Over the past decade, it has become clear that lipid homeostasis is central to cellular metabolism. Lipids are particularly abundant in the central nervous system (CNS) where they modulate membrane fluidity, electric signal transduction, and synaptic stabilization. Abnormal lipid profiles reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and traumatic brain injury (TBI), are further support for the importance of lipid metablism in the nervous system. Cardiolipin (CL), a mitochondria-exclusive phospholipid, has recently emerged as a focus of neurodegenerative disease research. Aberrant CL content, structure, and localization are linked to impaired neurogenesis and neuronal dysfunction, contributing to aging and the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD and PD. Furthermore, the highly tissue-specific acyl chain composition of CL confers it significant potential as a biomarker to diagnose and monitor the progression in several neurological diseases. CL also represents a potential target for pharmacological strategies aimed at treating neurodegeneration. Given the equipoise that currently exists between CL metabolism, mitochondrial function, and neurological disease, we review the role of CL in nervous system physiology and monogenic and neurodegenerative disease pathophysiology, in addition to its potential application as a biomarker and pharmacological target.

Phospholipid ebb and flow makes mitochondria go

Mitochondria, so much more than just being energy factories, also have the capacity to synthesize macromolecules including phospholipids, particularly cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Phospholipids are vital constituents of mitochondrial membranes, impacting the plethora of functions performed by this organelle. Hence, the orchestrated movement of phospholipids to and from the mitochondrion is essential for cellular integrity. In this review, we capture recent advances in the field of mitochondrial phospholipid biosynthesis and trafficking, highlighting the significance of interorganellar communication, intramitochondrial contact sites, and lipid transfer proteins in maintaining membrane homeostasis. We then discuss the physiological functions of CL and PE, specifically how they associate with protein complexes in mitochondrial membranes to support bioenergetics and maintain mitochondrial architecture.

Hepatocyte-specific PKCβ deficiency protects against high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis

OBJECTIVE

Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis, also known as fatty liver, is a uniform response of the liver to hyperlipidic-hypercaloric diet intake. However, the post-ingestive signals and mechanistic processes driving hepatic steatosis are not well understood. Emerging data demonstrate that protein kinase C beta (PKCβ), a lipid-sensitive kinase, plays a critical role in energy metabolism and adaptation to environmental and nutritional stimuli. Despite its powerful effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, knowledge of the physiological roles of hepatic PKCβ in energy homeostasis is limited.

METHODS

The floxed-PKCβ and hepatocyte-specific PKCβ-deficient mouse models were generated to study the in vivo role of hepatocyte PKCβ on diet-induced hepatic steatosis, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial function.

RESULTS

We report that hepatocyte-specific PKCβ deficiency protects mice from development of hepatic steatosis induced by high-fat diet, without affecting body weight gain. This protection is associated with attenuation of SREBP-1c transactivation and improved hepatic mitochondrial respiratory chain. Lipidomic analysis identified significant increases in the critical mitochondrial inner membrane lipid, cardiolipin, in PKCβ-deficient livers compared to control. Moreover, hepatocyte PKCβ deficiency had no significant effect on either hepatic or whole-body insulin sensitivity supporting dissociation between hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

The above data indicate that hepatocyte PKCβ is a key focus of dietary lipid perception and is essential for efficient storage of dietary lipids in liver largely through coordinating energy utilization and lipogenesis during post-prandial period. These results highlight the importance of hepatic PKCβ as a drug target for obesity-associated nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis.

A deep insight into the transcriptome of midgut and fat body reveals the toxic mechanism of fluoride exposure in silkworm

Fluoride generally exists in the natural environment, and has been reported to induce serious environmental hazard to animals, plants, and even humans via ecological cycle. Silkworm, Bombyx mori, which showed significant growth and reproductivity reduction when exposed to fluoride, has become a model to evaluate the toxicity of fluoride. However, the detailed mechanism underlying fluoride toxicity and corresponding transport proteins remain unclear. In this study, we performed RNA-seq of the larval midgut and fat body with fluoride exposure and normal treatment. Differential analysis showed that there were 4405 differentially expressed genes in fat body and 4430 DEGs in midgut with fluoride stress. By Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, we identified several key pathways involved in the fluoride exposure and poisoning. We focused on the oxidative phosphorylation and MAPK signal pathway. QRT-PCR confirmed that oxidative phosphorylation process was remarkably inhibited by fluoride exposure and resulted in the blocking of ATP synthesis. The MAPK signal pathway was stimulated via phosphorylation signal transduction. Moreover, by protein structure analysis combined with the DEGs, we screen 36 potential membrane proteins which might take part in transporting fluoride. Taken together, the results of our study expanded the underlying mechanisms of fluoride poisoning on silkworm larval growth and development, and implied potential fluoride transport proteins in silkworm.

Metabolic Alterations Caused by Defective Cardiolipin Remodeling in Inherited Cardiomyopathies

The heart is the most energy-consuming organ in the human body. In heart failure, the homeostasis of energy supply and demand is endangered by an increase in cardiomyocyte workload, or by an insufficiency in energy-providing processes. Energy metabolism is directly associated with mitochondrial redox homeostasis. The production of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) may overwhelm mitochondrial and cellular ROS defense mechanisms in case of heart failure. Mitochondria are essential cell organelles and provide 95% of the required energy in the heart. Metabolic remodeling, changes in mitochondrial structure or function, and alterations in mitochondrial calcium signaling diminish mitochondrial energy provision in many forms of cardiomyopathy. The mitochondrial respiratory chain creates a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane, which couples respiration with oxidative phosphorylation and the preservation of energy in the chemical bonds of ATP. Akin to other mitochondrial enzymes, the respiratory chain is integrated into the inner mitochondrial membrane. The tight association with the mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) ensures its structural integrity and coordinates enzymatic activity. This review focuses on how changes in mitochondrial CL may be associated with heart failure. Dysfunctional CL has been found in diabetic cardiomyopathy, ischemia reperfusion injury and the aging heart. Barth syndrome (BTHS) is caused by an inherited defect in the biosynthesis of cardiolipin. Moreover, a dysfunctional CL pool causes other types of rare inherited cardiomyopathies, such as Sengers syndrome and Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Ataxia (DCMA). Here we review the impact of cardiolipin deficiency on mitochondrial functions in cellular and animal models. We describe the molecular mechanisms concerning mitochondrial dysfunction as an incitement of cardiomyopathy and discuss potential therapeutic strategies.

Investigation of Plasma Metabolic and Lipidomic Characteristics of a Chinese Cohort and a Pilot Study of Renal Cell Carcinoma Biomarker

Plasma metabolomics and lipidomics have been commonly used for biomarker discovery. Studies in white and Japanese populations suggested that gender and age can affect circulating plasma metabolite profiles; however, the metabolomics characteristics in Chinese population has not been surveyed. In our study, we applied liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based approach to analyze Chinese plasma metabolome and lipidome in a cohort of 534 healthy adults (aging from 15 to 79). Fatty-acid metabolism was found to be gender- and age-dependent in Chinese, similar with metabolomics characteristics in Japanese and white populations. Differently, lipids, such as TGs and DGs, were found to be gender-independent in Chinese population. Moreover, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism was found to be specifically age-related in Chinese. The application of plasma metabolome and lipidome for renal cell carcinoma diagnosis (143 RCC patients and 34 benign kidney tumor patients) showed good accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.971 for distinction from healthy control, and 0.839 for distinction from the benign. Bile acid metabolism was found to be related to RCC probably combination with intestinal microflora. Definition of the variation and characteristics of Chinese normal plasma metabolome and lipidome might provide a basis for disease biomarker analysis.

Protein crowding in the inner mitochondrial membrane

The inner membrane of mitochondria is known for its low lipid-to-protein ratio. Calculations based on the size and the concentration of the principal membrane components, suggest about half of the hydrophobic volume of the membrane is occupied by proteins. Such high degree of crowding is expected to strain the hydrophobic coupling between proteins and lipids unless stabilizing mechanisms are in place. Both protein supercomplexes and cardiolipin are likely to be critical for the integrity of the inner mitochondrial membrane because they reduce the energy penalty of crowding.

An essential role for cardiolipin in the stability and function of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter

Calcium uptake by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter coordinates cytosolic signaling events with mitochondrial bioenergetics. During the past decade all protein components of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter have been identified, including MCU, the pore-forming subunit. However, the specific lipid requirements, if any, for the function and formation of this channel complex are currently not known. Here we utilize yeast, which lacks the mitochondrial calcium uniporter, as a model system to address this problem. We use heterologous expression to functionally reconstitute human uniporter machinery both in wild-type yeast as well as in mutants defective in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, or cardiolipin (CL). We uncover a specific requirement of CL for in vivo reconstituted MCU stability and activity. The CL requirement of MCU is evolutionarily conserved with loss of CL triggering rapid turnover of MCU homologs and impaired calcium transport. Furthermore, we observe reduced abundance and activity of endogenous MCU in mammalian cellular models of Barth syndrome, which is characterized by a partial loss of CL. MCU abundance is also decreased in the cardiac tissue of Barth syndrome patients. Our work raises the hypothesis that impaired mitochondrial calcium transport contributes to the pathogenesis of Barth syndrome, and more generally, showcases the utility of yeast phospholipid mutants in dissecting the phospholipid requirements of ion channel complexes.

Monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) interactions with mitochondrial membrane proteins

Monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) is a three-tailed variant of cardiolipin (CL), the signature lipid of mitochondria. MLCL is not normally found in healthy tissue but accumulates in mitochondria of people with Barth syndrome (BTHS), with an overall increase in the MLCL:CL ratio. The reason for MLCL accumulation remains to be fully understood. The effect of MLCL build-up and decreased CL content in causing the characteristics of BTHS are also unclear. In both cases, an understanding of the nature of MLCL interaction with mitochondrial proteins will be key. Recent work has shown that MLCL associates less tightly than CL with proteins in the mitochondrial inner membrane, suggesting that MLCL accumulation is a result of CL degradation, and that the lack of MLCL–protein interactions compromises the stability of the protein-dense mitochondrial inner membrane, leading to a decrease in optimal respiration. There is some data on MLCL–protein interactions for proteins involved in the respiratory chain and in apoptosis, but there remains much to be understood regarding the nature of MLCL–protein interactions. Recent developments in structural, analytical and computational approaches mean that these investigations are now possible. Such an understanding will be key to further insights into how MLCL accumulation impacts mitochondrial membranes. In turn, these insights will help to support the development of therapies for people with BTHS and give a broader understanding of other diseases involving defective CL content.

Shaping the mitochondrial inner membrane in health and disease

Mitochondria play central roles in cellular energetics, metabolism and signalling. Efficient respiration, mitochondrial quality control, apoptosis and inheritance of mitochondrial DNA depend on the proper architecture of the mitochondrial membranes and a dynamic remodelling of inner membrane cristae. Defects in mitochondrial architecture can result in severe human diseases affecting predominantly the nervous system and the heart. Inner membrane morphology is generated and maintained in particular by the mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS), the F₁ F_o -ATP synthase, the fusion protein OPA1/Mgm1 and the nonbilayer-forming phospholipids cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine. These protein complexes and phospholipids are embedded in a network of functional interactions. They communicate with each other and additional factors, enabling them to balance different aspects of cristae biogenesis and to dynamically remodel the inner mitochondrial membrane. Genetic alterations disturbing these membrane-shaping factors can lead to human pathologies including fatal encephalopathy, dominant optic atrophy, Leigh syndrome, Parkinson's disease and Barth syndrome.

The MICOS complex, a structural element of mitochondria with versatile functions

Mitochondria perform a plethora of functions in various cells of different tissues. Their architecture differs remarkably, for instance in neurons versus steroidogenic cells. Furthermore, aberrant mitochondrial architecture results in mitochondrial dysfunction. This indicates strongly that mitochondrial architecture and function are intimately linked. Therefore, a deep knowledge about the determinants of mitochondrial architecture and their function on a molecular level is of utmost importance. In the past decades, various proteins and protein complexes essential for formation of mitochondrial architecture have been identified. Here we will review the current knowledge of the MICOS complex, one of the major structural elements of mitochondria. MICOS is a multi-subunit complex present in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Multiple interaction partners in the inner and outer mitochondrial membrane point to participation in a multitude of important processes, such as generation of mitochondrial architecture, lipid metabolism, and protein import into mitochondria. Since the MICOS complex is highly conserved in form and function throughout evolution, we will highlight the importance of MICOS for mammals. We will emphasize in particular the current knowledge of the association of MICOS with severe human diseases, including Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Frontotemporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The mitochondria-targeted peptide SS-31 binds lipid bilayers and modulates surface electrostatics as a key component of its mechanism of action

Mitochondrial dysfunction underlies many heritable diseases, acquired pathologies, and aging-related declines in health. Szeto-Schiller (SS) peptides comprise a class of amphipathic tetrapeptides that are efficacious toward a wide array of mitochondrial disorders and are believed to target mitochondrial membranes because they are enriched in the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). However, little is known regarding how SS peptides interact with or alter the physical properties of lipid bilayers. In this study, using biophysical and computational approaches, we have analyzed the interactions of the lead compound SS-31 (elamipretide) with model and mitochondrial membranes. Our results show that this polybasic peptide partitions into the membrane interfacial region with an affinity and a lipid binding density that are directly related to surface charge. We found that SS-31 binding does not destabilize lamellar bilayers even at the highest binding concentrations; however, it did cause saturable alterations in lipid packing. Most notably, SS-31 modulated the surface electrostatics of both model and mitochondrial membranes. We propose nonexclusive mechanisms by which the tuning of surface charge could underpin the mitoprotective properties of SS-31, including alteration of the distribution of ions and basic proteins at the interface, and/or modulation of bilayer physical properties. As a proof of concept, we show that SS-31 alters divalent cation (calcium) distribution within the interfacial region and reduces the energetic burden of calcium stress in mitochondria. The mechanistic details of SS-31 revealed in this study will help inform the development of future compound variants with enhanced efficacy and bioavailability.

Cardiolipin remodeling in Barth syndrome and other hereditary cardiomyopathies

Mitochondria play a prominent role in cardiac energy metabolism, and their function is critically dependent on the integrity of mitochondrial membranes. Disorders characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction are commonly associated with cardiac disease. The mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin directly interacts with a number of essential protein complexes in the mitochondrial membranes including the respiratory chain, mitochondrial metabolite carriers, and proteins critical for mitochondrial morphology. Barth syndrome is an X-linked disorder caused by an inherited defect in the biogenesis of the mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin. How cardiolipin deficiency impacts on mitochondrial function and how mitochondrial dysfunction causes cardiomyopathy has been intensively studied in cellular and animal models of Barth syndrome. These findings may also have implications for the molecular mechanisms underlying other inherited disorders associated with defects in cardiolipin, such as Sengers syndrome and dilated cardiomyopathy with ataxia (DCMA).

The Function of Tafazzin, a Mitochondrial Phospholipid-Lysophospholipid Acyltransferase

Tafazzin is a mitochondrial enzyme that exchanges fatty acids between phospholipids by phospholipid-lysophospholipid transacylation. The reaction alters the molecular species composition and, as a result, the physical properties of lipids. In vivo, the most important substrate of tafazzin is the mitochondria-specific lipid cardiolipin. Tafazzin mutations cause the human disease Barth syndrome, which presents with cardiomyopathy, skeletal muscle weakness, fatigue, and other symptoms, probably all related to mitochondrial dysfunction. The reason why mitochondria require tafazzin is still not known, but recent evidence suggests that tafazzin may lower the energy cost associated with protein crowding in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Absolute yeast mitochondrial proteome quantification reveals trade-off between biosynthesis and energy generation during diauxic shift

This work offers a unique portrayal of yeast mitochondria through the characterization of its absolute proteome. The study of biophysical changes in the mitochondrial network associated with proteome profiling, throughout yeast growth and the transition from fermentative to respiratory metabolism, lays out the crucial role this organelle has in balancing the overall metabolic status of the cell. Using proteomic mass spectrometry, state of the art fluorescence microscopy, and lipidomics analysis, these data provide a highly quantitative description of key mitochondrial processes across three states of metabolism. In particular, the work highlights the significant contribution of functional and structural remodeling occurring during the diauxic shift of this subcellular organelle.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae constitutes a popular eukaryal model for research on mitochondrial physiology. Being Crabtree-positive, this yeast has evolved the ability to ferment glucose to ethanol and respire ethanol once glucose is consumed. Its transition phase from fermentative to respiratory metabolism, known as the diauxic shift, is reflected by dramatic rearrangements of mitochondrial function and structure. To date, the metabolic adaptations that occur during the diauxic shift have not been fully characterized at the organelle level. In this study, the absolute proteome of mitochondria was quantified alongside precise parametrization of biophysical properties associated with the mitochondrial network using state-of-the-art optical-imaging techniques. This allowed the determination of absolute protein abundances at a subcellular level. By tracking the transformation of mitochondrial mass and volume, alongside changes in the absolute mitochondrial proteome allocation, we could quantify how mitochondria balance their dual role as a biosynthetic hub as well as a center for cellular respiration. Furthermore, our findings suggest that in the transition from a fermentative to a respiratory metabolism, the diauxic shift represents the stage where major structural and functional reorganizations in mitochondrial metabolism occur. This metabolic transition, initiated at the mitochondria level, is then extended to the rest of the yeast cell.

Promotion of plasmalogen biosynthesis reverse lipid changes in a Barth Syndrome cell model

In Barth syndrome (BTHS) mutations in tafazzin leads to changes in both the quantities and the molecular species of cardiolipin (CL), which are the hallmarks of BTHS. Contrary to the well-established alterations in CL associated with BTHS; recently a marked decrease in the plasmalogen levels in Barth specimens has been identified. To restore the plasmalogen levels, the present study reports the effect of promotion of plasmalogen biosynthesis on the lipidome of lymphoblasts derived from Barth patients as well as on cell viability, mitochondria biogenesis, and mitochondrial membrane potential. High resolution ³¹P NMR phospholipidomic analysis showed an increase in the levels of plasmenylethanolamine (the major plasmalogen in lymphoblasts), which reached values comparable to the control and a compensatory decrease in the levels of its diacyl-PE counterpart. Importantly, ³¹P NMR showed a significant increase in the levels of CL, while not altering the levels of monolysocardiolipin. Mass spectrometry measurements showed that the promotion of plasmalogen biosynthesis did not change the molecular species profile of targeted phospholipids. In addition, promotion of plasmalogen biosynthesis did not impact on cellular viability, although it significantly decrease mitochondria copy number and restored mitochondrial membrane potential. Overall, the results showed the efficacy of the promotion of plasmalogen biosynthesis on increasing the CL levels in a BTHS cell model and highlight the potential beneficial effect of a diet supplemented with plasmalogen precursors to BTHS patients.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases associated with cardiolipin remodeling

Cardiolipin (CL) is an acidic phospholipid almost exclusively found in the inner mitochondrial membrane, that not only stabilizes the structure and function of individual components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, but regulates relevant mitochondrial processes, like mitochondrial dynamics and cristae structure maintenance among others. Alterations in CL due to peroxidation, correlates with loss of such mitochondrial activities and disease progression. In this review it is recapitulated the current state of knowledge of the role of cardiolipin remodeling associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

Insights from Drosophila on mitochondrial complex I

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, more commonly referred to as mitochondrial complex I (CI), is the largest discrete enzyme of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS). It is localized to the mitochondrial inner membrane. CI oxidizes NADH generated from the tricarboxylic acid cycle to NAD+, in a series of redox reactions that culminates in the reduction of ubiquinone, and the transport of protons from the matrix across the inner membrane to the intermembrane space. The resulting proton-motive force is consumed by ATP synthase to generate ATP, or harnessed to transport ions, metabolites and proteins into the mitochondrion. CI is also a major source of reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, impaired CI function has been associated with a host of chronic metabolic and degenerative disorders such as diabetes, cardiomyopathy, Parkinson's disease (PD) and Leigh syndrome. Studies on Drosophila have contributed to our understanding of the multiple roles of CI in bioenergetics and organismal physiology. Here, we explore and discuss some of the studies on Drosophila that have informed our understanding of this complex and conclude with some of the open questions about CI that can be resolved by studies on Drosophila.

Lipidome-wide 13C flux analysis: a novel tool to estimate the turnover of lipids in organisms and cultures

Lipid metabolism plays an important role in the regulation of cellular homeostasis. However, because it is difficult to measure the actual rates of synthesis and degradation of individual lipid species, lipid compositions are often used as a surrogate to evaluate lipid metabolism even though they provide only static snapshots of the lipodome. Here, we designed a simple method to determine the turnover rate of phospholipid and acylglycerol species based on the incorporation of 13C6-glucose combined with LC-MS/MS. We labeled adult Drosophila melanogaster with 13C6-glucose that incorporates into the entire lipidome, derived kinetic parameters from mass spectra, and studied effects of deletion of CG6718, the fly homolog of the calcium-independent phospholipase A2β, on lipid metabolism. Although 13C6-glucose gave rise to a complex pattern of 13C incorporation, we were able to identify discrete isotopomers in which 13C atoms were confined to the glycerol group. With these isotopomers, we calculated turnover rate constants, half-life times, and fluxes of the glycerol backbone of multiple lipid species. To perform these calculations, we estimated the fraction of labeled molecules in glycerol-3-phosphate, the lipid precursor, by mass isotopomer distribution analysis of the spectra of phosphatidylglycerol. When we applied this method to D. melanogaster, we found a range of lipid half-lives from 2 to 200 days, demonstrated tissue-specific fluxes of individual lipid species, and identified a novel function of CG6718 in triacylglycerol metabolism. This method provides fluxomics-type data with significant potential to improve the understanding of complex lipid regulation in a variety of research models.

Fat for fuel: lipid metabolism in haematopoiesis

The importance of metabolic regulation in the immune system has launched back into the limelight in recent years. Various metabolic pathways have been examined in the context of their contribution to maintaining immune cell homeostasis and function. Moreover, this regulation is also important in the immune cell precursors, where metabolism controls their maintenance and cell fate. This review will discuss lipid metabolism in the context of haematopoiesis, that is blood cell development. We specifically focus on nonoxidative lipid metabolism which encapsulates the synthesis and degradation of the major lipid classes such as phospholipids, sphingolipids and sterols. We will also discuss how these metabolic processes are affected by haematological malignancies such as leukaemia and lymphoma, which are known to have altered metabolism, and how these different pathways contribute to the pathology.

TAZ encodes tafazzin, a transacylase essential for cardiolipin formation and central to the etiology of Barth syndrome

Tafazzin, which is encoded by the TAZ gene, catalyzes transacylation to form mature cardiolipin and shows preference for the transfer of a linoleic acid (LA) group from phosphatidylcholine (PC) to monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) with influence from mitochondrial membrane curvature. The protein contains domains and motifs involved in targeting, anchoring, and an active site for transacylase activity. Tafazzin activity affects many aspects of mitochondrial structure and function, including that of the electron transport chain, fission-fusion, as well as apoptotic signaling. TAZ mutations are implicated in Barth syndrome, an underdiagnosed and devastating disease that primarily affects male pediatric patients with a broad spectrum of disease pathologies that impact the cardiovascular, neuromuscular, metabolic, and hematologic systems.