Characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene that encodes a mitochondrial phosphate transporter-like protein

The mitochondrial phosphate transporter of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encoded by MIR1 (YJR077C) gene, shows divergence among the transporters in various eukaryotes. We have characterized another gene, YER053C, that appeared to encode an orthologous mitochondrial phosphate transporter of yeast. The predicted amino acid sequence of the YER053C protein is much more similar to that of mitochondrial phosphate transporters of other species than that of MIR1. RNA gel blot analysis indicated that, like the MIR1 promoter, the YER053C promoter is functional and that its activity varies according to aeration. An MIR1 gene null mutant did not grow on glycerol medium, whereas a YER053C null mutant grew well on the medium, suggesting that the YER053C gene is not essential for the mitochondrial function. YER053C also did not support the growth of the MIR1 null mutant on glycerol. The MIR1 and YER053C proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and then reconstituted into liposomes. Unlike the proteoliposomes of MIR1, those of YER053C did not exhibit significant phosphate transport activity. Unexpectedly, it was shown that YER053C is localized in vacuoles, not mitochondria, by immunological electron microscopy. These results suggest that, during evolution, yeast lost the function and/or mitochondrial targeting of YER053C and then recruited an atypical MIR1 as the only transporter.