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A Quantitative Assessment of The Yeast Lipidome using Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Published on: August 21, 2009
In yeast, cardiolipin unsaturation level plays a key role in mitochondrial function and inner membrane integrity
Luis Alberto Luévano-Martínez1, Isabella Fernanda Dantas Pinto2, Marcos Yukio Yoshinaga2
1Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, N.L, Mexico.
Abstract:
Cardiolipin is the signature phospholipid of the mitochondrial inner membrane. It participates in shaping the inner membrane as well as in modulating the activity of many membrane-bound proteins. The acyl chain composition of cardiolipin is finely tuned post-biosynthesis depending on the surrounding phospholipids to produce mature or unsaturated cardiolipin. However, experimental evidence showing that immature and mature cardiolipin are functionally equivalents for mitochondria poses doubts on the relevance of cardiolipin remodeling. In this work, we studied the role of cardiolipin acyl chain composition in mitochondrial bioenergetics, including a detailed bioenergetic profile of yeast mitochondria. Cardiolipin acyl chains were modified by genetic and nutritional manipulation. We found that both the bioenergetic efficiency and osmotic stability of mitochondria are dependent on the unsaturation level of cardiolipin acyl chains. It is proposed that cardiolipin remodeling and, consequently, mature cardiolipins play an important role in mitochondrial inner membrane integrity and functionality.
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