2018
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Solution NMR structure of yeast Rcf1, a protein involved in respiratory supercomplex formation

Authors:

Zhou, S., Pettersson, P., Huang, J., Sjöholm, J., Sjöstrand, D., Pomès, R., ... & Ädelroth, P.

Keywords:

charge zipper, membrane proteins, mitochondria, bicelles, lipids

Abstract:

Mitochondrial respiration is carried out by a chain of protein complexes. Electron transfer through these complexes is coupled to the generation of a proton electrochemical gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane, which is used, e.g., to synthesize ATP. The components of the respiratory chain are assembled into supercomplexes, presumed to provide functional advantages. The respiratory supercomplex factors (Rcfs), were identified to be required for supercomplex formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To understand the mechanism and dynamics of supercomplex formation, structural information about these Rcfs is needed. Here, we report the solution state NMR structure of Rcf1, which forms a dimer in detergent micelles. The study reveals unique structural features of Rcf1 and provides insights into supercomplex formation.