Mitochondrial trifunctional protein (MTP) is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...

attached to the

inner mitochondrial membrane The inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) is the mitochondrial membrane which separates the mitochondrial matrix from the intermembrane space. Structure The structure of the inner mitochondrial membrane is extensively folded and compartmentalized. ...

which catalyzes three out of the four steps in

beta oxidation In biochemistry and metabolism, beta-oxidation is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cyc ...

. MTP is a hetero-octamer composed of four alpha and four beta subunits: *

HADHA Trifunctional enzyme subunit alpha, mitochondrial also known as hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase/enoyl-CoA hydratase (trifunctional protein), alpha subunit is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''HADHA'' gene. Mutatio ...

HADHB Trifunctional enzyme subunit beta, mitochondrial (TP-beta) also known as 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, acetyl-CoA acyltransferase, or beta-ketothiolase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''HADHB'' gene. HADHB is a subunit of the mitochondr ...

The three functions are 2-enoyl coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase, long-chain 3-hydroxy acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase and long-chain 3-ketoacyl CoA thiolase.

Association with the electron transport chain

Fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) and

oxidative phosphorylation Oxidative phosphorylation (UK , US ) or electron transport-linked phosphorylation or terminal oxidation is the metabolic pathway in which cells use enzymes to oxidize nutrients, thereby releasing chemical energy in order to produce adenosine t ...

(OXPHOS) are two major metabolism pathways in the

mitochondria A mitochondrion (; ) is an organelle found in the cells of most Eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and fungi. Mitochondria have a double membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used ...

. Reducing equivalents from FAO enter OXPHOS at the level of Complexes I and

III III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * ...

. In 2010, Wang ''et al.'' discovered a functional and physical association between MTP and ETC respirasomes. Not only does MTP appear to be bound to Complex I, but it also appears to channel substrates between the two enzymes. This is especially interesting, because up until then it was unknown exactly how MTP was associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane, and this discovery may provide the explanation.

Hormonal influences

Recent research has revealed that MTP can be affected by various

hormones A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required ...

, via

hormone receptors A hormone receptor is a receptor molecule that binds to a specific chemical messenger . Hormone receptors are a wide family of proteins made up of receptors for thyroid and steroid hormones, retinoids and Vitamin D, and a variety of other receptor ...

located in the mitochondria. Chochron ''et al.'' (2012) demonstrated that

thyroid hormone File:Thyroid_system.svg, upright=1.5, The thyroid system of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 rect 376 268 820 433 Thyroid-stimulating hormone rect 411 200 849 266 Thyrotropin-releasing hormone rect 297 168 502 200 Hypothalamus rect 66 216 386 25 ...

stimulates mitochondrial

metabolism Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run ...

in a pathway mediated by MTP. Zhou ''et al.'' (2012) used 2D gel electrophoresis and

mass spectrometry Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a '' mass spectrum'', a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is u ...

to identify MTP as one of the proteins that interacts with ER alpha, a receptor triggered by

estrogen Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...

Cardiolipin remodeling

In 2009, Taylor ''et al.'' identified a human mitochondrial protein, monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase (MLCL AT-1), that is identical in

amino acid sequence Protein primary structure is the linear sequence of amino acids in a peptide or protein. By convention, the primary structure of a protein is reported starting from the amino-terminal (N) end to the carboxyl-terminal (C) end. Protein biosynthe ...

to the 59-kDa

C-terminal The C-terminus (also known as the carboxyl-terminus, carboxy-terminus, C-terminal tail, C-terminal end, or COOH-terminus) is the end of an amino acid chain (protein or polypeptide), terminated by a free carboxyl group (-COOH). When the protein is ...

end of MTP, linking MTP to the remodeling of

cardiolipin Cardiolipin (IUPAC name 1,3-bis(''sn''-3’-phosphatidyl)-''sn''-glycerol) is an important component of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it constitutes about 20% of the total lipid composition. It can also be found in the membranes of most ...

from

monolysocardiolipin Monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) is a phospholipid with three fatty acid chains located in the inner membrane of mitochondria. MLCL is normally present as part of the metabolic cycle of mitochondrial lipids, such as cardiolipin. It is remodeled by the ...

. Although MLCL AT-1 and MTP are different proteins, in 2012 the same lab discovered that MTP did indeed have cardiolipin remodeling capabilities. This suggests a possible link between mitochondrial membrane cardiolipin content and

Clinical significance

Disorders associated MTP are: *

Mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency Mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency (MTP deficiency or MTPD) is an autosomal recessive fatty acid oxidation disordersubscription needed that prevents the body from converting certain fats to energy, particularly during periods without f ...

LCHAD deficiency Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive fatty acid oxidation disorder that prevents the body from converting certain fats into energy. This can become life-threatening, particularly during per ...

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a rare life-threatening complication of pregnancy that occurs in the third trimester or the immediate period after delivery. It is thought to be caused by a disordered metabolism of fatty acids by mitochondria in ...

References

External links

* {{Mitochondrial enzymes Proteins