Mitochondrial dynamics and disease, OPA1

AbstractThe mitochondria are dynamic organelles that constantly fuse and divide. An equilibrium between fusion and fission controls the morphology of the mitochondria, which appear as dots or elongated tubules depending the prevailing force. Characterization of the components of the fission and fusion machineries has progressed considerably, and the emerging question now is what role mitochondrial dynamics play in mitochondrial and cellular functions. Its importance has been highlighted by the discovery that two human diseases are caused by mutations in the two mitochondrial pro-fusion genes, MFN2 and OPA1. This review will focus on data concerning the function of OPA1, mutations in which cause optic atrophy, with respect to the underlying pathophysiological processes

Morphologie mitochondriale (fonctions et dysfonctions de la dynamine humaine OPA1)

TOULOUSE3-BU Sciences (315552104) / SudocSudocFranceF

Nanobodies reveal an extra-synaptic population of SNAP-25 and Syntaxin 1A in hippocampal neurons.

Synaptic vesicle fusion (exocytosis) is a precisely regulated process that entails the formation of SNARE complexes between the vesicle protein synaptobrevin 2 (VAMP2) and the plasma membrane proteins Syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25. The sub-cellular localization of the latter two molecules remains unclear, although they have been the subject of many recent investigations. To address this, we generated two novel camelid single domain antibodies (nanobodies) specifically binding to SNAP-25 and Syntaxin 1A. These probes penetrated more easily into samples and detected their targets more efficiently than conventional antibodies in crowded regions. When investigated by super-resolution imaging, the nanobodies revealed substantial extra-synaptic populations for both SNAP-25 and Syntaxin 1A, which were poorly detected by antibodies. Moreover, extra-synaptic Syntaxin 1A molecules were recruited to synapses during stimulation, suggesting that these are physiologically-active molecules. We conclude that nanobodies are able to reveal qualitatively and quantitatively different organization patterns, when compared to conventional antibodies.peerReviewe

OPA1 alternate splicing uncouples an evolutionary conserved function in mitochondrial fusion from a vertebrate restricted function in apoptosis.: OPA1 isoforms in mitochondrial fusion or apoptosis.

In most eucaryote cells, release of apoptotic proteins from mitochondria involves fission of the mitochondrial network and drastic remodelling of the cristae structures. The intramitochondrial dynamin OPA1, as a potential central actor of these processes, exists as eight isoforms resulting from the alternate splicing combinations of exons (Ex) 4, 4b and 5b, which functions remain undetermined. Here, we show that Ex4 that is conserved throughout evolution confers functions to OPA1 involved in the maintenance of the DeltaPsi(m) and in the fusion of the mitochondrial network. Conversely, Ex4b and Ex5b, which are vertebrate specific, define a function involved in cytochrome c release, an apoptotic process also restricted to vertebrates. The drastic changes of OPA1 variant abundance in different organs suggest that nuclear splicing can control mitochondrial dynamic fate and susceptibility to apoptosis and pathologies

OPA1 cleavage depends on decreased mitochondrial ATP level and bivalent metals.

International audienceOPA1, an intra-mitochondrial dynamin GTPase, is a key actor of outer and inner mitochondrial membrane dynamic. OPA1 amino-terminal cleavage by PARL and m-AAA proteases was recently proposed to participate to the mitochondrial network dynamic in a DeltaPsi(m)-dependent way, and to apoptosis. Here, by an in vitro approach combining the use of purified mitochondrial fractions and mitochondrial targeting drugs, we intended to identify the central stimulus responsible for OPA1 cleavage. We confirm that apoptosis induction and PTPore opening, as well as DeltaPsi(m) dissipation induce OPA1 cleavage. Nevertheless, our experiments evidenced that decreased mitochondrial ATP levels, either generated by apoptosis induction, DeltaPsi(m) dissipation or inhibition of ATP synthase, is the common and crucial stimulus that controls OPA1 processing. In addition, we report that ectopic iron addition activates OPA1 cleavage, whereas zinc inhibits this process. These results suggest that the ATP-dependent OPA1 processing plays a central role in correlating the energetic metabolism to mitochondrial dynamic and might be involved in the pathophysiology of diseases associated to excess of iron or depletion of zinc and ATP

Selection and Characterization of a Nanobody Biosensor of GTP-Bound RHO Activities

RHO (Ras HOmologous) GTPases are molecular switches that activate, in their state bound to Guanosine triphosphate (GTP), key signaling pathways, which involve actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Previously, we selected the nanobody RH12, from a synthetic phage display library, which binds the GTP-bound active conformation of RHOA (Ras Homologous family member A). However, when expressed as an intracellular antibody, its blocking effect on RHO signaling led to a loss of actin fibers, which in turn affected cell shape and cell survival. Here, in order to engineer an intracellular biosensor of RHOA-GTP activation, we screened the same phage nanobody library and identified another RHO-GTP selective intracellular nanobody, but with no apparent toxicity. The recombinant RH57 nanobody displays high affinity towards GTP-bound RHOA/B/C subgroup of small GTPases in vitro. Intracellular expression of the RH57 allowed selective co-precipitation with the GTP-bound state of the endogenous RHOA subfamily. When expressed as a fluorescent fusion protein, the chromobody GFP-RH57 was localized to the inner plasma membrane upon stimulation of the activation of endogenous RHO. Finally, the RH57 nanobody was used to establish a BRET-based biosensor (Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer) of RHO activation. The dynamic range of the BRET signal could potentially offer new opportunities to develop cell-based screening of RHOA subfamily activation modulators

Generation of a single chain antibody variable fragment (scFv) to sense selectively RhoB activation.

Determining the cellular level of activated form of RhoGTPases is of key importance to understand their regulatory functions in cell physiopathology. We previously reported scFvC1, that selectively bind to the GTP-bound form of RhoA, RhoB and RhoC. In this present study we generate, by molecular evolution, a new phage library to isolate scFvs displaying high affinity and selectivity to RhoA and RhoB. Using phage display affinity maturation against the GTP-locked mutant RhoAL63, we isolated scFvs against RhoA active conformation that display Kd values at the nanomolar range, which corresponded to an increase of affinity of three orders of magnitude compared to scFvC1. Although a majority of these evolved scFvs remained selective towards the active conformation of RhoA, RhoB and RhoC, we identified some scFvs that bind to RhoA and RhoC but not to RhoB activated form. Alternatively, we performed a substractive panning towards RhoB, and isolated the scFvE3 exhibiting a 10 times higher affinity for RhoB than RhoA activated forms. We showed the peculiar ability of scFvE3 to detect RhoB but not RhoA GTP-bound form in cell extracts overexpressing Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factor XPLN as well as in EGF stimulated HeLa cells. Our results demonstrated the ability of scFvs to distinguish RhoB from RhoA GTP-bound form and provide new selective tools to analyze the cell biology of RhoB GTPase regulation

Chromatibody, a novel non-invasive molecular tool to explore and manipulate chromatin in living cells

Chromatin function is involved in many cellular processes, its visualization or modification being essential in many developmental or cellular studies. Here, we present the characterization of chromatibody, a chromatin-binding single-domain, and explore its use in living cells. This non-intercalating tool specifically binds the heterodimer of H2A-H2B histones and displays a versatile reactivity, specifically labeling chromatin from yeast to mammals. We show that this genetically encoded probe, when fused to fluorescent proteins, allows non-invasive real-time chromatin imaging. Chromatibody is a dynamic chromatin probe that can be modulated. Finally, chromatibody is an efficient tool to target an enzymatic activity to the nucleosome, such as the DNA damage-dependent H2A ubiquitylation, which can modify this epigenetic mark at the scale of the genome and result in DNA damage signaling and repair defects. Taken together, these results identify chromatibody as a universal non-invasive tool for either in vivo chromatin imaging or to manipulate the chromatin landscape