Zn deficiency disrupts Cu and S homeostasis in Chlamydomonas resulting in over accumulation of Cu and Cysteine.

Growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in zinc (Zn) limited medium leads to disruption of copper (Cu) homeostasis, resulting in up to 40-fold Cu over-accumulation relative to its typical Cu quota. We show that Chlamydomonas controls its Cu quota by balancing Cu import and export, which is disrupted in a Zn deficient cell, thus establishing a mechanistic connection between Cu and Zn homeostasis. Transcriptomics, proteomics and elemental profiling revealed that Zn-limited Chlamydomonas cells up-regulate a subset of genes encoding "first responder" proteins involved in sulfur (S) assimilation and consequently accumulate more intracellular S, which is incorporated into L-cysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine, and homocysteine. Most prominently, in the absence of Zn, free L-cysteine is increased ∼80-fold, corresponding to ∼2.8 × 109 molecules/cell. Interestingly, classic S-containing metal binding ligands like glutathione and phytochelatins do not increase. X-ray fluorescence microscopy showed foci of S accumulation in Zn-limited cells that co-localize with Cu, phosphorus and calcium, consistent with Cu-thiol complexes in the acidocalcisome, the site of Cu(I) accumulation. Notably, cells that have been previously starved for Cu do not accumulate S or Cys, causally connecting cysteine synthesis with Cu accumulation. We suggest that cysteine is an in vivo Cu(I) ligand, perhaps ancestral, that buffers cytosolic Cu.

Cysteine: an ancestral Cu binding ligand in green algae?

Growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in zinc (Zn) limited medium leads to disruption of copper (Cu) homeostasis, resulting in up to 40-fold Cu over-accumulation relative to its typical Cu quota. We show that Chlamydomonas controls its Cu quota by balancing Cu import and export, which is disrupted in a Zn deficient cell, thus establishing a mechanistic connection between Cu and Zn homeostasis. Transcriptomics, proteomics and elemental profiling revealed that Zn-limited Chlamydomonas cells up-regulate a subset of genes encoding "first responder" proteins involved in sulfur (S) assimilation and consequently accumulate more intracellular S, which is incorporated into L-cysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine and homocysteine. Most prominently, in the absence of Zn, free L-cysteine is increased ~80-fold, corresponding to ~ 2.8 × 10 9 molecules/cell. Interestingly, classic S-containing metal binding ligands like glutathione and phytochelatins do not increase. X-ray fluorescence microscopy showed foci of S accumulation in Zn-limited cells that co-localize with Cu, phosphorus and calcium, consistent with Cu-thiol complexes in the acidocalcisome, the site of Cu(I) accumulation. Notably, cells that have been previously starved for Cu do not accumulate S or Cys, causally connecting cysteine synthesis with Cu accumulation. We suggest that cysteine is an in vivo Cu(I) ligand, perhaps ancestral, that buffers cytosolic Cu.

Manganese co-localizes with calcium and phosphorus in Chlamydomonas acidocalcisomes and is mobilized in manganese-deficient conditions.

Exposing cells to excess metal concentrations well beyond the cellular quota is a powerful tool for understanding the molecular mechanisms of metal homeostasis. Such improved understanding may enable bioengineering of organisms with improved nutrition and bioremediation capacity. We report here that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can accumulate manganese (Mn) in proportion to extracellular supply, up to 30-fold greater than its typical quota and with remarkable tolerance. As visualized by X-ray fluorescence microscopy and nanoscale secondary ion MS (nanoSIMS), Mn largely co-localizes with phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca), consistent with the Mn-accumulating site being an acidic vacuole, known as the acidocalcisome. Vacuolar Mn stores are accessible reserves that can be mobilized in Mn-deficient conditions to support algal growth. We noted that Mn accumulation depends on cellular polyphosphate (polyP) content, indicated by 1) a consistent failure of C. reinhardtii vtc1 mutant strains, which are deficient in polyphosphate synthesis, to accumulate Mn and 2) a drastic reduction of the Mn storage capacity in P-deficient cells. Rather surprisingly, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, EPR, and electron nuclear double resonance revealed that only little Mn2+ is stably complexed with polyP, indicating that polyP is not the final Mn ligand. We propose that polyPs are a critical component of Mn accumulation in Chlamydomonas by driving Mn relocation from the cytosol to acidocalcisomes. Within these structures, polyP may, in turn, escort vacuolar Mn to a number of storage ligands, including phosphate and phytate, and other, yet unidentified, compounds.

Functional Analysis of Semi-conserved Transit Peptide Motifs and Mechanistic Implications in Precursor Targeting and Recognition.

Over 95% of plastid proteins are nuclear-encoded as their precursors containing an N-terminal extension known as the transit peptide (TP). Although highly variable, TPs direct the precursors through a conserved, posttranslational mechanism involving translocons in the outer (TOC) and inner envelope (TOC). The organelle import specificity is mediated by one or more components of the Toc complex. However, the high TP diversity creates a paradox on how the sequences can be specifically recognized. An emerging model of TP design is that they contain multiple loosely conserved motifs that are recognized at different steps in the targeting and transport process. Bioinformatics has demonstrated that many TPs contain semi-conserved physicochemical motifs, termed FGLK. In order to characterize FGLK motifs in TP recognition and import, we have analyzed two well-studied TPs from the precursor of RuBisCO small subunit (SStp) and ferredoxin (Fdtp). Both SStp and Fdtp contain two FGLK motifs. Analysis of large set mutations (∼85) in these two motifs using in vitro, in organello, and in vivo approaches support a model in which the FGLK domains mediate interaction with TOC34 and possibly other TOC components. In vivo import analysis suggests that multiple FGLK motifs are functionally redundant. Furthermore, we discuss how FGLK motifs are required for efficient precursor protein import and how these elements may permit a convergent function of this highly variable class of targeting sequences.

Access of torsinA to the inner nuclear membrane is activity dependent and regulated in the endoplasmic reticulum.

TorsinA (also known as torsin-1A) is a membrane-embedded AAA+ ATPase that has an important role in the nuclear envelope lumen. However, most torsinA is localized in the peripheral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen where it has a slow mobility that is incompatible with free equilibration between ER subdomains. We now find that nuclear-envelope-localized torsinA is present on the inner nuclear membrane (INM) and ask how torsinA reaches this subdomain. The ER system contains two transmembrane proteins, LAP1 and LULL1 (also known as TOR1AIP1 and TOR1AIP2, respectively), that reversibly co-assemble with and activate torsinA. Whereas LAP1 localizes on the INM, we show that LULL1 is in the peripheral ER and does not enter the INM. Paradoxically, interaction between torsinA and LULL1 in the ER targets torsinA to the INM. Native gel electrophoresis reveals torsinA oligomeric complexes that are destabilized by LULL1. Mutations in torsinA or LULL1 that inhibit ATPase activity reduce the access of torsinA to the INM. Furthermore, although LULL1 binds torsinA in the ER lumen, its effect on torsinA localization requires cytosolic-domain-mediated oligomerization. These data suggest that LULL1 oligomerizes to engage and transiently disassemble torsinA oligomers, and is thereby positioned to transduce cytoplasmic signals to the INM through torsinA.

Relative tissue expression of homologous torsinB correlates with the neuronal specific importance of DYT1 dystonia-associated torsinA.

A three base-pair deletion in the widely expressed TOR1A gene causes the childhood onset, neurological disease of DYT1 dystonia. Mouse Tor1a gene knockout also specifically affects the developing nervous system. However, in both cases, the basis of neuronal tissue specificity is unknown. TorsinA is one of four predicted mammalian torsin ATPases associated with assorted cellular activities (AAA+) proteins, raising the possibility that expression of a functionally homologous torsin compensates for torsinA loss in non-neuronal tissues. We find that all four mammalian torsins are endoplasmic reticulum resident glycoproteins. TorsinA, torsinB and torsin2 are all present in large M(r) complexes, which suggests that each assembles into an oligomeric AAA+ enzyme. Introducing a mutation (WB(EQ)) that typically stabilizes AAA+ proteins in a substrate-bound state causes torsinA and torsinB to associate with a shared nuclear envelope (NE) binding partner and this NE localization requires the torsinA interacting protein, lamina associated polypeptide 1. Although torsin proteins are widely expressed in the adult mouse, we identified that embryonic neuronal tissues contain relatively low torsinB levels. Therefore, our results reveal that torsinB expression inversely correlates with the cell and developmental requirement for torsinA. In conclusion, multiple cell types appear to utilize torsin AAA+ proteins and differential expression of torsinB may contribute to both the neuronal specific importance of torsinA and the symptom specificity of DYT1 dystonia.