The mitochondrial genome is responsible for the production of a handful of polypeptides that are core subunits of the membrane-bound oxidative phosphorylation system. Until now the mechanistic studies of mitochondrial protein synthesis inside cells have been conducted with inhibition of cytoplasmic protein synthesis to reduce the background of nuclear gene expression with the undesired consequence of major disturbances of cellular signaling cascades. Here we have generated a system that allows direct monitoring of mitochondrial translation in unperturbed cells. A recoded gene for superfolder GFP was inserted into the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mitochondrial genome and enabled the detection of translation through fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry in functional mitochondria. This novel tool allows the investigation of the function and regulation of mitochondrial translation during stress signaling, aging and mitochondrial biogenesis.

Over the last decades, an ever-growing number of tools became available to manipulate the genome of the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The most common approach to study a mutation in a protein is to first replace the native gene with a selection cassette via homologous recombination. In a second step, the mutated gene can be expressed from a plasmid. For certain applications, however, it is necessary to integrate the mutation in the genome. Here we introduced a mutated variant of the mitochondrial ribosomal protein S12 (Mrps12), a protein of the highly conserved accuracy center of the mitochondrial ribosome, using an integrative plasmid. First, we attempted to use a counter-selectable strategy by employing the uracil selection cassette (URA3) in combination with 5-fluoroorotic acid (5-FOA). We observed that this approach is not ideal for mutating certain crucial mitochondrial proteins. In our hands, this method only gave false-positive results. Most likely, deletion of MRPS12 and subsequent loss of mitochondrial DNA caused genome instability. This gave rise to mutated versions of URA3 which could no longer be used for counter selection. Therefore, we eventually introduced the MRPS12* under control of its endogenous promotor and terminator via an integrative plasmid in the deletion strain.

Cellular proteostasis ismaintained via the coordinated synthesis, maintenance, and breakdown of proteins in the cytosol and organelles. While biogenesis of the mitochondrial membrane complexes that execute oxidative phosphorylation depends on cytoplasmic translation, it is unknown how translation within mitochondria impacts cytoplasmic proteostasis and nuclear gene expression. Here we have analyzed the effects of mutations in the highly conserved accuracy center of the yeast mitoribosome. Decreased accuracy of mitochondrial translation shortened chronological lifespan, impaired management of cytosolic protein aggregates, and elicited a general transcriptional stress response. In striking contrast, increased accuracy extended lifespan, improved cytosolic aggregate clearance, and suppressed a normally stress-induced, Msn2/4-dependent interor-ganellar proteostasis transcription program (IPTP) that regulates genes important for mitochondrial proteostasis. Collectively, the data demonstrate that cytosolic protein homeostasis and nuclear stress signaling are controlled by mitochondrial translation efficiency in an inter-connected organelle quality control network that determines cellular lifespan.

The mitochondrial proteome contains proteins from two different genetic systems. Proteins are either synthesized in the cytosol and imported into the different compartments of the organelle or directly produced in the mitochondrial matrix. To ensure proteostasis, proteins are monitored by the mitochondrial quality control system, which will degrade non-native polypeptides. Defective mitochondrial membrane proteins are degraded by membrane-bound AAA-proteases. These proteases are regulated by factors promoting protein turnover or preventing their degradation. Here we determined genetic interactions between the mitoribosome receptors Mrx15 and Mba1 with the quality control system. We show that simultaneous absence of Mrx15 and the regulators of the i-AAA protease Mgr1 and Mgr3 provokes respiratory deficiency. Surprisingly, mutants lacking Mrx15 were more tolerant against proteotoxic stress. Furthermore, yeast cells became hypersensitive against proteotoxic stress upon deletion of MBA1. Contrary to Mrx15, Mba1 cooperates with the regulators of the m-AAA and i-AAA proteases. Taken together, these results suggest that membrane protein insertion and mitochondrial AAA-proteases are functionally coupled, possibly reflecting an early quality control step during mitochondrial protein synthesis.