Case Report: Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies Compound Heterozygous Variants in TSFM Gene Causing Juvenile Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Short-term regulation of TSFM level does not alter amyloidogenesis and mitochondrial function in type-specific cells

BACKGROUND

Mitochondrial Ts translation elongation factor (TSFM) is an enzyme that catalyzes exchange of guanine nucleotides. By forming a complex with mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor (TUFM), TSFM participates in mitochondrial protein translation. We have previously reported that TUFM regulates translation of beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) via ROS (reactive oxygen species)-dependent mechanism, suggesting a potential role in amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), which led to the speculation that TSFM may regulate APP processing in a similar way to TUFM.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Here, we report that in cultured cells, knockdown or overexpression TSFM did not change protein levels in BACE1 and APP. Besides, the levels of cytoplasmic ROS and mitochondrial superoxide, in addition to ATP level, cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential were not significantly altered by TSFM knockdown in the short term. Further transcriptome analysis revealed that expression of majority of mitochondrial genes were not remarkably changed by TSFM silencing. The possibility of TSFM involved in cardiomyopathy and cancer development was uncovered using bioinformatics analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, short-term regulation of TSFM level in cultured cells does not cause a significant change in proteins involved in APP processing, levels in ROS and ATP associated with mitochondrial function. Whereas our study could contribute to comprehend certain clinical features of TSFM mutations, the roles of TSFM in cardiomyopathy and cancer development might deserve further investigation.

The Bacterial ClpXP-ClpB Family Is Enriched with RNA-Binding Protein Complexes

In the matrix of bacteria/mitochondria/chloroplasts, Lon acts as the degradation machine for soluble proteins. In stress periods, however, proteostasis and survival depend on the strongly conserved Clp/Hsp100 family. Currently, the targets of ATP-powered unfoldases/disaggregases ClpB and ClpX and of peptidase ClpP heptameric rings are still unclear. Trapping experiments and proteome profiling in multiple organisms triggered confusion, so we analyzed the consistency of ClpP-trap targets in bacteria. We also provide meta-analyses of protein interactions in humans, to elucidate where Clp family members are enriched. Furthermore, meta-analyses of mouse complexomics are provided. Genotype–phenotype correlations confirmed our concept. Trapping, proteome, and complexome data retrieved consistent coaccumulation of CLPXP with GFM1 and TUFM orthologs. CLPX shows broad interaction selectivity encompassing mitochondrial translation elongation, RNA granules, and nucleoids. CLPB preferentially attaches to mitochondrial RNA granules and translation initiation components; CLPP is enriched with them all and associates with release/recycling factors. Mutations in CLPP cause Perrault syndrome, with phenotypes similar to defects in mtDNA/mtRNA. Thus, we propose that CLPB and CLPXP are crucial to counteract misfolded insoluble protein assemblies that contain nucleotides. This insight is relevant to improve ClpP-modulating drugs that block bacterial growth and for the treatment of human infertility, deafness, and neurodegeneration.