The Expanded LYR Motif-Containing Protein Family in Archaeplastida

The LYR motif (LYRM)-containing proteins are small eukaryote-specific proteins that have been defined based on the presence of a Lys-Tyr-Arg amino acid motif and a conserved triplet of α-helices. Twelve LYRM proteins were described in humans. They are involved in core mitochondrial processes as subunits or assembly/stabilising factors of mitochondrial complexes. Their function depends on their ability to interact with the acylated form of acyl-carrier proteins (mtACPs), which places these proteins as direct contributors to two intertwined functional processes, energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. To gain insight into LYRM proteins in Archaeplastida, we first analyzed the Arabidopsis thaliana genome and then a set of organisms representing the different groups of the Archaeplastida clade. This analysis revealed the existence of 17 classes encompassing 10 of the 12 LYRM classes found in humans. Eleven classes exist in Arabidopsis, and six additional classes are present in some organisms but not in Arabidopsis, thus expanding previous observations. Subsequent data mining based on literature, gene expression, and in silico analyses allowed us to speculate about the possible molecular function of some currently uncharacterised LYRMs in plants. Altogether, this study revealed the diversification of the LYRM protein family in Archaeplastida and more globally among eukaryotes, in which the LYRM-mtACP associations represent central molecular systems to regulate mitochondrial biogenesis upon fluctuating growth conditions.