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Two human patient mitochondrial pyruvate carrier mutations reveal distinct molecular mechanisms of dysfunction
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Two human patient mitochondrial pyruvate carrier mutations reveal distinct molecular mechanisms of dysfunction

Lalita Oonthonpan, Adam J. Rauckhorst, Lawrence R. Gray, Audrey C. Boutron and Eric B. Taylor
JCI insight, Vol.4(13), e126132
07/11/2019
DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.126132
PMCID: PMC6629238
PMID: 31145700
url
https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.126132View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) occupies a central metabolic node by transporting cytosolic pyruvate into the mitochondria! matrix and linking glycolysis with mitochondrial metabolism. Two reported human MPC1 mutations cause developmental abnormalities, neurological problems, metabolic deficits, and for one patient, early death. We aimed to understand biochemical mechanisms by which the human patient C289T and T236A MPC1 alleles disrupt MPC function. MPC1 C289T encodes 2 protein variants, a misspliced, truncation mutant (A58G) and a full-length point mutant (R97W). MPC1 T236A encodes a full-length point mutant (L79H). Using human patient fibroblasts and complementation of CRISPR-deleted, MPC1-null mouse C2C12 cells, we investigated how MPC1 mutations cause MPC deficiency. Truncated MPC1 A58G protein was intrinsically unstable and failed to form MPC complexes. The MPC1 R97W protein was less stable but, when overexpressed, formed complexes with MPC2 that retained pyruvate transport activity. Conversely, MPC1 L79H protein formed stable complexes with MPC2, but these complexes failed to transport pyruvate. These findings inform MPC structure-function relationships and delineate 3 distinct biochemical pathologies resulting from 2 human patient MPCI mutations. They also illustrate an efficient gene pass-through system for mechanistically investigating human inborn errors in pyruvate metabolism.
Life Sciences & Biomedicine Medicine, Research & Experimental Research & Experimental Medicine Science & Technology

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