Shinzaburo Takamiya

Deficiencies in complex I subunits of the respiratory chain in Parkinson's disease

Immunoblotting studies on mitochondria prepared from the striata of patients who died of Parkinsons disease were performed using specific antisera against Complexes I, III and IV. In 4 out of 5 patients with Parkinsons disease, the 30-, 25- and 24-kDa subunits of Complex I were moderately to markedly decreased. No clear difference was noted in immunoblotting studies on subunits of Complexes III and IV between the control and Parkinsons disease. Deficiencies in Complex I subunits seem to be one of the most important clues to elucidate pathogenesis of Parkinsons disease.

Electron-transfer complexes of Ascaris suum muscle mitochondria. III. Composition and fumarate reductase activity of complex II

Complex II of the anaerobic respiratory chain in Ascaris muscle mitochondria showed a high fumarate reductase activity when reduced methyl viologen was used as the electron donor. The maximum activity was 49 mumol/min per mg protein, which is much higher than that of the mammalian counterpart. The mitochondria of Ascaris-fertilized eggs, which require oxygen for its development, also showed fumarate reductase activity with a specific activity intermediate between those of adult Ascaris and mammals. Antibody against the Ascaris flavoprotein subunit reacted with the mammalian counterparts, whereas those against the Ascaris iron-sulfur protein subunit did not crossreact, although the amino acid compositions of the subunits in Ascaris and bovine heart were quite similar. Cytochrome b-558 of Ascaris complex II was separated from flavoprotein and iron-sulphur protein subunits by high performance liquid chromatography with a gel permeation system in the presence of Sarkosyl. Isolated cytochrome b-558 is composed of two hydrophobic polypeptides with molecular masses of 17.2 and 12.5 kDa determined by gradient gel, which correspond to the two small subunits of complex II. Amino acid compositions of these small subunits showed little similarity with those of cytochrome b-560 of bovine heart complex II. NADH-fumarate reductase, which is the final enzyme complex in the anaerobic respiratory chain in Ascaris, was reconstituted with bovine heart complex I, Ascaris complex II and phospholipids. The maximum activity was 430 nmol/min per mg protein of complex II. Rhodoquinone was essential for this reconstitution, whereas ubiquinone showed no effect. The results clearly indicate the unique role of Ascaris complex II as fumarate reductase and the indispensability of rhodoquinone as the low-potential electron carrier in the NADH-fumarate reductase system.

Electron-transfer complexes of Ascaris suum muscle mitochondria. II. Succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (complex II) associated with substrate-reducible cytochrome b-558

A succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (complex II) was isolated in highly purified form from Ascaris muscle mitochondria by detergent solubilization, ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration on a Sephadex G-200 column. The enzyme preparation catalyzes electron transfer from succinate to coenzyme Q1 with a specific activity of 1.2 mumol coenzyme Q1 reduced per min per mg protein at 25 degrees C. The isolated complex II is essentially free of NADH-ferricyanide reductase, reduced CoQ2-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase and consists of four major polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 66 000, 27 000, 12 000 and 11 000 and two minor ones with Mr of 36 000 and 16 000. The complex II contained cytochrome b-558, a major constituent cytochrome of Ascaris mitochondria, at a concentration of 3.6 nmol per mg protein, but neither other cytochromes nor quinone. The cytochrome b-558 in the complex II was reduced with succinate. In the presence of Ascaris NADH-cytochrome c reductase (complex I-III) (Takamiya, S., Furushima, R. and Oya, H. (1984) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 13, 121-134), the cytochrome b-558 in complex II was also reduced with NADH and reoxidized with fumarate. These results suggest the cytochrome b-558 to function as an electron carrier between NADH dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase in the Ascaris NADH-fumarate reductase system.

Parasite mitochondria as a target of chemotherapy: inhibitory effect of licochalcone A on the Plasmodium falciparum respiratory chain.

Parasites have exploited unique energy metabolic pathways as adaptations to the natural host habitat. In fact, the respiratory systems of parasites typically show greater diversity in electron transfer pathways than do those of host animals. These unique aspects of parasite mitochondria and related enzymes may represent promising targets for chemotherapy. Natural products have been recognized as a source of the candidates of the specific inhibitors for such parasite respiratory chains. Chalcones was recently evaluated for its antimalarial activity in vitro and in vivo. However, its target is still unclear in malaria parasites. In this study, we investigated that licochalcone A inhibited the bc1 complex (ubiquinol‐cytochrome c reductase) as well as complex II (succinate ubiquinone reductase, SQR) of Plasmodium falciparum mitochondria. In particular, licochalcone A inhibits bc1 complex activity at very low concentrations. Because the property of the P. falciparum bc1 complex is different from that of the mammalian host, chalcones would be a promising candidate for a new antimalarial drug.

Cytochromes in the respiratory chain of helminth mitochondria

Parasitic helminths exhibit greater diversity in energy metabolism than do the host animals and many have exploited unique respiratory chains as adaptations to their natural habitats. Cytochromes are involved, not only in intracellular aerobic respiration found in free-living stages, but also in the reduction of relatively oxidized compounds such as fumarate during the adult stages of parasitic helminths. In addition, most helminths retain a significant capacity to produce energy via aerobic pathways and have a mammalian type respiratory chain in their mitochondria during their development in the host. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the study of cytochromes in the respiratory chain of parasitic helminths. These include the identification of unique features of anaerobic respiration in adult parasites, the elucidation of molecular structures of the components involved and an understanding of the developmental changes that occur during the life-cycle of these parasites.

Electron-transfer complexes in Ascaris mitochondria.

Parasites have developed a variety of physiological functions necessary for their survival within the specialized environment of the host. Using metabolic systems that are very different from those of the host, they can adapt to low oxygen tension present within the host animals. Most parasites do not use the oxygen available within the host to generate ATP, but rather employ anaerobic metabolic pathways. In addition, all parasites have a life cycle. In many cases, the parasite employs aerobic metabolism during its free-living stage outside the host. In such systems, parasite mitochondria play diverse roles. In particular, marked changes in the morphology and components of the mitochondria during the life cycle are very interesting elements of biological processes such as developmental control and environmental adaptation. Recent research on the respiratory chain of the parasitic helminth Ascaris suum has shown that the mitochondrial NADH-fumarate reductase system plays an important role in the anaerobic energy metabolism of adult parasites inhabiting hosts, as well as describing unique features of the developmental changes that occur during its life cycle.

Isolation of mitochondria from Plasmodium falciparum showing dihydroorotate dependent respiration.

Using N2 cavitation, we established a protocol to prepare the active mitochondria from Plasmodium falciparum showing a higher succinate dehydrogenase activity than previously reported and a dihydroorotate-dependent respiration. The fact that fumarate partially inhibited the dihydroorotate dependent respiration suggests that complex II (succinate-ubiquinone reductase/quinol-fumarate reductase) in the erythrocytic stage cells of P. falciparum functions as a quinol-fumarate reductase.

Stage-specific isoforms of Ascaris suum complex II: the fumarate reductase of the parasitic adult and the succinate dehydrogenase of free-living larvae share a common iron-sulfur subunit.

Complex II of adult Ascaris suum muscle exhibits high fumarate reductase (FRD) activity and plays a key role in anaerobic electron-transport during adaptation to their microaerobic habitat. In contrast, larval (L2) complex II shows a much lower FRD activity than the adult enzyme, and functions as succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in aerobic respiration. We have reported the stage-specific isoforms of complex II in A. suum mitochondria, and showed that at least the flavoprotein subunit (Fp) and the small subunit of cytochrome b (cybS) of the larval complex II differ from those of adult. In the present study, complete cDNAs for the iron-sulfur subunit (Ip) of complex II, which with Fp forms the catalytic portion of complex II, have been cloned and sequenced from anaerobic adult A. suum, and the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. The amino acid sequences of the Ip subunits of these two nematodes are similar, particularly around the three cysteine-rich regions that are thought to comprise the iron-sulfur clusters of the enzyme. The Ip from A. suum larvae was also characterized because Northern hybridization showed that the adult Ip is also expressed in L2. The Ip of larval complex II was recognized by the antibody against adult Ip, and was indistinguishable from the adult Ip by peptide mapping. The N-terminal 42 amino acid sequence of Ip in the larval complex II purified by DEAE-cellulofine column chromatography was identical to that of the mature form of the adult Ip. Furthermore, the amino acid composition of larval Ip determined by micro-analysis on a PVDF membrane is almost the same as that of adult Ip. These results, together with the fact, that homology probing by RT-PCR, using degenerated primers, failed to find a larval-specific Ip, suggest that the two different stage-specific forms of the A. suum complex II share a common Ip subunit, even though the adult enzyme functions as a FRD, while larval enzyme acts as an SDH.

Electron transfer complexes of Ascaris suum muscle mitochondria: I. Characterization of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (complex I-III), with special reference to cytochrome localization

An NADH-cytochrome c reductase (complex I-III) was isolated from Ascaris suum muscle mitochondria. The enzyme preparation catalyzed the reduction of 1.68 mumol cytochrome c min-1 mg-1 protein at 25 degrees C with NADH but not with NADPH, and retained its sensitivity to rotenone, piericidin A and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide as with the submitochondrial particles. The isolated complex I-III, essentially free of succinate-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase, consisted of fourteen polypeptides with apparent molecular weights ranging from 76 000 to 12 000. The complex I-III contained three cytochromes, b-559.5, b-563 and c1-550.5 and Pigment-558 at concentrations of 1.28, 0.211, 1.23 and 0.321 nmol mg-1 protein, respectively. Cytochrome b-558, a major constituent cytochrome of Ascaris mitochondria and previously suggested to participate in the fumarate reductase system, was not fractionated in the complex I-III. Localization of the cytochromes in Ascaris electron transfer complexes is discussed.

PRIMARY SEQUENCE OF MITOCHONDRIAL TRNAARG OF A NEMATODE ASCARIS SUUM : OCCURRENCE OF UNMODIFIED ADENOSINE AT THE FIRST POSITION OF THE ANTICODON

Mitochondrial tRNA(Arg) from a nematode, Ascaris suum, was purified and sequenced at the RNA level. An unmodified adenosine was found to exist at the anticodon first position, suggesting that, contrary to the conventional wobble rule, the anticodon ACG of the tRNA can translate all the CGN codons.