Publication Date:
2013-02-20
Description:
Human mitochondrial RNA polymerase, POLRMT, is required for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription and forms initiation complexes with human mitochondrial transcription factor B2 (h-mtTFB2). However, POLRMT also interacts with the paralogue of h-mtTFB2, h-mtTFB1, which is a 12S ribosomal RNA methyltransferase required for small (28S) mitochondrial ribosome subunit assembly. Herein, we show that POLRMT associates with h-mtTFB1 in 28S mitochondrial ribosome complexes that are stable in the absence of mitochondrial transcription and distinct from transcription complexes containing POLRMT and h-mtTFB2. Overexpression of POLRMT in HeLa cells increases 12S rRNA methylation by h-mtTFB1 and reduces the steady-state levels of mtDNA-encoded proteins and respiration, apparently because of a decrease in fully assembled 55S mitochondrial ribosomes. We propose that POLRMT interacts directly with h-mtTFB1 in 28S mitochondrial ribosomes to augment its 12S rRNA methyltransferase activity, and that together they provide a checkpoint for proper 28S and 55S mitochondrial ribosome assembly. Thus, POLRMT is multi-functional, forming distinct protein complexes that regulate different steps in mitochondrial gene expression, at least one of which does not involve transcription per se . The significance of these results is discussed with regard to the mechanism and regulation of human mitochondrial gene expression and the potential multi-functionality of RNA polymerases in general.
Print ISSN:
0305-1048
Electronic ISSN:
1362-4962
Topics:
Biology
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