Abstract
Neurons are extremely polarized structures with long axons and dendrites, which require proper distribution of mitochondria and maintenance of mitochondrial dynamics for neuronal functions and survival. Indeed, recent studies show that various neurological disorders are linked to mitochondrial transport in neurons. Mitochondrial anterograde transport is believed to deliver metabolic energy to synaptic terminals where energy demands are high, while mitochondrial retrograde transport is required to repair or remove damaged mitochondria in axons. It has been suggested that Ca2+ plays a key role in regulating mitochondrial transport by altering the configuration of mitochondrial protein, miro. However, molecular mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial transport in neurons still are not well characterized. In this review, we will discuss the roles of miro in mitochondrial transport and how the recently identified components of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter add to our current model of mitochondrial mobility regulation.
INTRODUCTION
Mitochondria are vital organelles that provide ATP, maintain Ca2+ homeostasis, and regulate apoptosis in all eukaryotic cells. For cells with high-energy requirement such as neurons, mitochondria are particularly important for neuronal survival, membrane excitability, calcium buffering, and reliable synaptic transmission (; ; ). In addition, the extremely long processes of neurons pose a unique challenge in distributing mitochondria to the appropriate locations; an inability to maintain the dynamics of mitochondrial transport in neurons can thus cause deleterious effects on their function and physiology (). It has become clear that dysregulation of mitochondrial transport contributes to pathological changes of neurons, as various neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and Down syndrome are associated with defects in mitochondrial transport or dynamics (). While these neurodegenerative diseases result from different genetic mutations or arise sporadically, the function of the respective gene products may be involved in common pathways leading to altered mitochondrial transport or dynamics in neurons. However, molecular mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial transport in neurons are not well characterized, and how defective mitochondrial transport leads to neurodegeneration remains unclear.
Mitochondrial transport is known to be mediated by interactions between the mitochondrial adaptor proteins to kinesin and dynein motors, as well as the binding of the motor proteins to the cytoskeleton track (; ; reviewed in ). In spite of this now widely held point of view, it still remains unclear whether internal parameters in mitochondria provide another level of regulation that increases the efficiency of mitochondrial transport in axons. It is generally believed that mitochondrial transport in axons is passive, and the internal state of the mitochondrion is inconsequential. In this view, mitochondrial transport is regulated mainly by extracellular signals that modulate cytoplasmic Ca2+ influx, which in turn controls mitochondrial transport machinery (). It was posited that cytoplasmic Ca2+ level is a key regulator of mitochondrial trafficking in axons and dendrites, and that intracellular Ca2+ influx impedes mitochondrial movement by affecting the overall interactions between the mitochondrial adaptor, motor, and cytoskeleton track. In contrast, we recently discovered that intra-mitochondrial Ca2+ plays a critical role in mitochondrial transport in axons (), suggesting that intrinsic signals inside of mitochondria may be actively involved in mitochondrial transport. The intra-mitochondrial Ca2+ level is mostly regulated by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex, and three components of the MCU complex have been recently identified: MCU (; ), mitochondrial calcium uptake1 (MICU1; ), and mitochondria calcium uniporter regulator 1 (MCUR1; ). In this review, we will discuss the new prospects of miro and the MCU complex in regulating mitochondrial transport in axons.
Miro: A MULTIFUNCTION PROTEIN INVOLVED IN REGULATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL TRANSPORT
Miro1 is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein in which the N-terminal part contains two GTPase domains separated by two EF-hand domains facing the cytoplasm (, ). It also contains a single transmembrane domain on the C-terminus, with a small three amino acid tail leading into the intermembrane space (). There are two isoforms of miro, classified as miro1 and miro2, which possess a 60% similarity (). Miro1 has been shown to play a role in mitochondrial transport in neurons, but a divergent role for miro2, if any exists, has not been explored. Results have shown that overexpression of the two proteins produce slightly different phenotypes on mitochondrial morphology: miro1 produces both aggregated and threadlike mitochondria, while miro2 only generates aggregated mitochondria (), suggesting that the roles of miro1 and miro2 are slightly different on mitochondrial structure.
Miro1 is known as the primary regulator of anterograde mitochondrial movement along microtubules in axons and dendrites through an indirect interaction with kinesin KIF5B (). Normally, miro1 binds to TRAK2 (; Milton in Drosophila; ), a kinesin light chain adapter, which in turn binds directly to kinesin heavy chain and mediates transport along microtubules (; ). However, when cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels increases, Ca2+ binding to the EF-hand domains of miro1 results in a conformational shift that subsequently arrests mitochondrial movement (Figure 1, a). The mechanism to explain miro1’s role in halting mitochondrial movement is still not clear. have shown that Ca2+ binding to miro1 derails the kinesin motor protein from the microtubule track, thereby stopping mitochondrial transport in axons. In contrast, suggested that high levels of cytoplasmic Ca2+ triggers miro1 to dissociate from kinesin motor together with the adaptor protein, TRAK2, thereby arresting mitochondrial transport.
FIGURE 1
Studies have suggested that the dynein protein is responsible for retrograde movement. Interestingly, evidences suggest that miro1 is also required for retrograde movement and that kinesin-1 in Drosophila must be expressed in order for retrograde movement to occur (
Recently, miro1 is found to be a substrate of PINK1 (a kinase) and Parkin (an E3 ubiquitin ligase) in neurons (
In addition to its role as a regulator of mitochondrial transport, miro1 also interacts with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Mitochondria are known to interact through the ER–mitochondria encounter structures (ERMES;
MITOCHONDRIAL Ca2+, Miro, AND MITOCHONDRIAL TRANSPORT
A recent study by
MCU, MICU1, AND MCUR1: OLD AND NEW PLAYERS IN Ca2+ INFLUX TO MITOCHONDRIA
Aside from ATP production, mitochondria are important for Ca2+ buffering within cells. Ca2+ influx into mitochondria can stimulate ATP production by stimulating enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the electron transport chain, and ATP synthase complex (
The role and function of the MCU complex were proposed in the 1960s and its properties have been extensively studied, but its molecular nature was only recently identified.
Immediately after the identification of MICU1, two independent works discovered the true calcium uniporter that was subsequently named as the MCU. This channel is sensitive to ruthenium red, located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, has calcium channel activity, and interacts with MICU1 (
With the MCU complex located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, questions remain as to how Ca2+ influx into the mitochondrial matrix gates mitochondrial movement. The identification of additional components of the MCU complex will certainly help to delineate the cellular mechanisms. It is plausible that component(s) of the MCU complex is also associated with miro1, and the whole complex modulates Ca2+ entry into mitochondria as well as mitochondrial transport in axons. Ca2+ influx through the MCU complex may lead to conformational change in the miro1 protein, subsequently exposing the EF-hand domain for Ca2+ binding and causing either detachment of mitochondria from the motor or of the motor from the microtubule track. It will be interesting to determine in the future whether miro1 binds to MCU or another component of the uniporter complex.
CONCLUSION
The MCU complex contains three distinct proteins: MCU, MICU1, and MCUR1, which regulates the influx of calcium into the mitochondrial matrix. It will be particularly interesting to test if manipulation of the identified MCU components can influence mitochondrial transport in the future. In addition, it is possible that miro, which can connect to the ER and regulate mitochondrial movement, would be another component of the MCU complex. Future works involving identification of other MCU components will lead to a better understanding of mechanisms regulating mitochondrial transport in axons.
Statements
Acknowledgments
The laboratory of Kyung-Tai Min is supported by grants from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Fondation Jérôme Lejeune.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
mitochondria, axonal transport, MCU, MICU1, miro
Citation
Niescier RF, Chang KT and Min K-T (2013) Miro, MCU, and calcium: bridging our understanding of mitochondrial movement in axons. Front. Cell. Neurosci. 7:148. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00148
Received
28 June 2013
Accepted
22 August 2013
Published
10 September 2013
Volume
7 - 2013
Edited by
Rena Li, Roskamp Institute, USA
Reviewed by
Alexander K. Murashov, East Carolina University, USA; Jiangang Long, Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
Copyright
© Niescier, Chang and Min.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Kyung-Tai Min, School of Nano-Bioscience and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Stem Cell Research Building 105-221, Ulju, Eonyang, Ulsan, South Korea e-mail: ktaimin@unist.ac.kr
This article was submitted to the journal Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.
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