MITOCHONDRIAL MODIFICATIONS IN A SINGLE NUCLEAR MUTANT OF SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE AFFECTED IN CAMP-DEPENDENT PROTEIN-PHOSPHORYLATION

This paper reports studies of bioenergetic modifications in a TTR1 single-nuclear mutant, isolated as resistant to triethyltin, an inhibitor of mitochondrial ATPase, and effective in cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation. This mutant appears to have lost the wildtype cell ability to respond to a decrease of oxygen concentration in the growth medium by a decrease of cytochrome concentration in the cell. ATP synthesis rate in mutant cells in both the prestationary and stationary phase of growth appeared increased in comparison to wild-type cells, as too was respiration rate. A comparative study of mitochondria extracted from wild-type and from TTR1 mutant cells showed an increase in respiration rate, an increase in ATP synthesis rate, and an increase in TPP+ uptake in mutant mitochondria. The specific ATPase activity, as well as its sensitivity to TET, appears to be similar for mitochondria extracted from both strains. It was proposed that the modification of mitochondrial biogenesis in the TTR1 mutant may be due to a response of the cell to an increase in ATP hydrolysis caused by the mutation. It is also possible that the modification in cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulation which appeared to occur in this mutant affects protein(s) involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.