Importing of peroxiredoxins to distinct mitochondrial compartments: possible impacts on physiology and pathology

Peroxiredoxin (Prx) enzymes are considered major systems for reduction of peroxides in mitochondria. Although the import of Prx from cytosolic ribosomes to distinct mitochondrial subcompartments is driven by a cleavable N-terminal presequence, the mechanisms underlying this process are still elusive. Here, we show by cell fractionation/western blot analysis that yeast mitochondrial Prx (Prx1) displays dual localization: matrix and intermembrane space. Prx1 sorting into the intermembrane space likely involves the release of the precursor protein within the lipid bilayer of the inner membrane, followed by cleavage by the inner membrane peptidase complex (IMP). Alternatively, during its translocation into the matrix, Prx1 is sequentially cleaved by mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP) and then by octapeptidyl aminopeptidase 1 (Oct1). Oct1 removed eight amino acid residues from the N-terminal region of Prx1, but its physiological role is still elusive. Remarkably, the processing of Prx proteins by Oct1 appears to be evolutionarily conserved, since yeast Oct1 could also cleave the human mitochondrial peroxiredoxin Prx3 when this thiol peroxidase was expressed in yeast. In addition, the alignment of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of Prx3 from mammals indicated the putative cleavage sites by MPP and Oct1 proteases. Remarkably, there are orthologues of IMP and Oct1 proteins in human cells and their malfunctioning was associated with diseases. For instance, loss of Oct1 provokes disturbances in iron metabolism and loss of mitochondrial DNA. Currently, we are investigating the import of mammalian Prx enzymes into distinct mitochondrial subcompartments and the involvement of IMP and Oct1orthologues.