ATP synthase subunit c expression: physiological regulation of the P1 and P2 genes

Pre-translational regulation of subunit c has been suggested to control the biosynthesis of mitochondrial ATP synthase (ATPase) in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Subunit c is encoded by the genes P1 and P2, which encode identical mature proteins. We have determined here the levels of P1 and P2 mRNAs in different tissues, in response to cold acclimation in rats, during ontogenic development of BAT in hamsters, and following thyroid hormone treatment in rat BAT and liver. Quantitative ribonuclease protection analysis showed that both the P1 and P2 mRNAs were present in all rat tissues measured. Their total amount in each tissue corresponded well with the ATPase content of that tissue. While the P1/P2 mRNA ratio is high in ATPase-rich tissues, the P2 mRNA dominates in tissues with less ATPase. Cold acclimation affects P1 but not P2 gene expression in rat BAT. A rapid and transient increase in P1 mRNA is followed by sustained depression, which is accompanied by a decrease in ATPase content. Similarly, ontogenic suppression of ATPase content in hamster BAT was accompanied by suppression of the P1 mRNA levels, while P2 expression was virtually unchanged. Furthermore, when hypothyroid rats were treated with thyroid hormone, the steady-state level of P1 but not of P2 mRNA was significantly increased in liver. BAT was unaffected. We conclude that the P1 and P2 genes for subunit c are differentially regulated in vivo. While the P2 gene is expressed constitutively, the P1 gene responds to different physiological stimuli as a means of modulating the relative content of ATP synthase.