CUP1 Metallothionein from Healthy Saccharomyces cerevisiae Colocalizes to the Cytosol and Mitochondrial Intermembrane Space

Biochemistry. 2023 Jan 3;62(1):62-74. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00481. Epub 2022 Dec 12.

Abstract

Liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and metal analyses of cytosol and mitochondrial filtrates from healthy copper-replete Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells revealed that metallothionein CUP1 was a notable copper-containing species in both compartments, with its abundance dependent upon the level of copper supplementation in the growth media. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of cytosol and soluble mitochondrial filtrates displayed a full isotopologue pattern of CUP1 in which the first eight amino acid residues were truncated and eight copper ions were bound. Neither apo-CUP1 nor intermediate copper-bound forms were detected, but chelator treatment could generate apo-CUP1. Mitoplasting revealed that mitochondrial CUP1 was located in the intermembrane space. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that 34 kDa CUP1-GFP entered the organelle, discounting the possibility that 7 kDa CUP1 enters folded and metalated through outer membrane pores. How CUP1 enters mitochondria remains unclear, as does its role within the organelle. Although speculative, mitochondrial CUP1 may limit the concentrations of low-molecular-mass copper complexes in the organelle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Copper / metabolism
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Metallothionein / genetics
  • Metallothionein / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae* / metabolism

Substances

  • Copper
  • Metallothionein
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins