[Ubiquitin as a regulator of IFN production in the antiviral response]. / Ubikwityna jako regulator wytwarzania IFN w odpowiedzi przeciwwirusowej.

Type I interferons (IFNs) are important in the immune response. After pathogen detection, host cells rapidly trigger innate immune mechanisms such as inflammatory cytokines production, thus leading to the eradication of the invading virus. Such mechanisms engage signaling cascades which, in the initial phase of infection, lead to the activation of the NF-κB pathway and IFN regulatory factors (IRF-3, IRF-7) which directly control the production of IFNs. Proper regulation of IFN induction takes place by ubiqutination and allows to maintain a balance between the activation and inhibition of the immune system response due to an infection. Studies in recent years indicate that ubiquitination of proteins can affect both proteasomal degradation as well as the non-canonical pathway which results in the regulation of their activity. The type of ubiquitination primarily depends on the attachment of ubiquitin chain to thetarget protein but also on the activity of proteases from DUBs family. The ubiquitin pathway holds many potential therapeutic targets. Thus, the more detailed understanding of the mechanism of ubiquitination and the role of ubiquitin involved in IFNs production pathways may provide a turning point for both antiviral therapy and autoimmune diseases.

Ion conductance pathways in potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum) inner mitochondrial membrane.

Single-ion channel activities were measured after reconstitution of potato tuber mitochondrial inner membranes into planar lipid bilayers. In addition to the recently described large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channel activity (Koszela-Piotrowska et al., 2009), the following mitochondrial ion conductance pathways were recorded: (i) an ATP-regulated potassium channel (mitoK(ATP) channel) activity with a conductance of 164+/-8pS, (ii) a large-conductance Ca(2+)-insensitive iberiotoxin-sensitive potassium channel activity with a conductance of 312 pS+/-23, and (iii) a chloride 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)-inhibited channel activity with a conductance of 117 pS+/-4. In isolated non-phosphorylating potato tuber mitochondria, individual and combined potassium channel activities caused significant (up to 14mV) but not collapsing K(+)-influx-induced membrane potential depolarisation. Under phosphorylating conditions, the coupling parameters were unchanged in the presence of high K(+) level, indicating that plant K(+) channels function as energy-dissipating systems that are not able to divert energy from oxidative phosphorylation. A potato tuber K(+) channel that is ATP-, 5-hydroxydecanonic acid-, glybenclamide-inhibited and diazoxide-stimulated caused low cation flux, modestly decreasing membrane potential (up to a few mV) and increasing respiration in non-phosphorylating mitochondria. Immunological analysis with antibodies raised against the mammalian plasma membrane ATP-regulated K(+) channel identified a pore-forming subunit of the Kir-like family in potato tuber mitochondrial inner membrane. These results suggest that a mitoK(ATP) channel similar to that of mammalian mitochondria is present in potato tuber mitochondria.

A large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber mitochondria.

In the present study, we describe the existence of a novel potassium channel in the plant [potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber] mitochondrial inner membrane. We found that substances known to modulate large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel activity influenced the bioenergetics of potato tuber mitochondria. In isolated mitochondria, Ca2+ and NS1619 {1,3-dihydro-1-[2-hydroxy-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-ben-zimidazole-2-one; a potassium channel opener} were found to depolarize the mitochondrial membrane potential and to stimulate resting respiration. These effects were blocked by iberiotoxin (a potassium channel inhibitor) in a potassium-dependent manner. Additionally, the electrophysiological properties of the large-conductance potassium channel present in the potato tuber inner mitochondrial membrane are described in a reconstituted system, using planar lipid bilayers. After incorporation in 50/450 mM KCl gradient solutions, we recorded large-conductance potassium channel activity with conductance from 502+/-15 to 615+/-12 pS. The probability of channel opening was increased by Ca2+ and reduced by iberiotoxin. Immunological analysis with antibodies raised against the mammalian plasma-membrane large-conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ channel identified a pore-forming alpha subunit and an auxiliary beta2 subunit of the channel in potato tuber mitochondrial inner membrane. These results suggest that a large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel similar to that of mammalian mitochondria is present in potato tuber mitochondria.

Basic energetic parameters of Acanthamoeba castellanii mitochondria and their resistance to oxidative stress.

The purpose of this study was establishing the basic energetic parameters of amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii mitochondria respiring with malate and their response to oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Fe(2+) ions. It appeared that, contrary to a previous report (Trocha LK, Stobienia O (2007) Acta Biochim Polon 54: 797), H(2)O(2)-treated mitochondria of A. castellanii did not display any substantial impairment. No marked changes in cytochrome pathway activity were found, as in the presence of an inhibitor of alternative oxidase no effects were observed on the rates of uncoupled and phosphorylating respiration and on coupling parameters. Only in the absence of the alternative oxidase inhibitor, non-phosphorylating respiration progressively decreased with increasing concentration of H(2)O(2), while the coupling parameters (respiratory control ratio and ADP/O ratio) slightly improved, which may indicate some inactivation of the alternative oxidase. Moreover, our results show no change in membrane potential, Ca(2+) uptake and accumulation ability, mitochondrial outer membrane integrity and cytochrome c release for 0.5-25 mM H(2)O(2)-treated versus control (H(2)O(2)-untreated) mitochondria. These results indicate that short (5 min) incubation of A. castellanii mitochondria with H(2)O(2) in the presence of Fe(2+) does not damage their basic energetics.

Potassium channels in the mitochondria of unicellular eukaryotes and plants.

The functional characterisation of potassium channels found in the mitochondria of plants and unicellular eukaryotes is critically discussed herein, with a focus on the ATP-sensitive potassium channel and the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channel (mitoBK(Ca) channel). The physiological functions of these channels are not completely understood. We discuss the functional connections and roles of potassium channels, uncoupling protein and alternative oxidase, three energy-dissipating systems that exist in the mitochondrial respiratory chain of plants and some unicellular eukaryotes, which include preventing the production of reactive oxygen species.