Unique structural features govern the activity of a human mitochondrial AAA+ disaggregase, Skd3

Cell Rep. 2022 Sep 27;40(13):111408. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111408.

Abstract

The AAA+ protein, Skd3 (human CLPB), solubilizes proteins in the mitochondrial intermembrane space, which is critical for human health. Skd3 variants with defective protein-disaggregase activity cause severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type 7 (MGCA7). How Skd3 disaggregates proteins remains poorly understood. Here, we report a high-resolution structure of a Skd3-substrate complex. Skd3 adopts a spiral hexameric arrangement that engages substrate via pore-loop interactions in the nucleotide-binding domain (NBD). Substrate-bound Skd3 hexamers stack head-to-head via unique, adaptable ankyrin-repeat domain (ANK)-mediated interactions to form dodecamers. Deleting the ANK linker region reduces dodecamerization and disaggregase activity. We elucidate apomorphic features of the Skd3 NBD and C-terminal domain that regulate disaggregase activity. We also define how Skd3 subunits collaborate to disaggregate proteins. Importantly, SCN-linked subunits sharply inhibit disaggregase activity, whereas MGCA7-linked subunits do not. These advances illuminate Skd3 structure and mechanism, explain SCN and MGCA7 inheritance patterns, and suggest therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: AAA+ proteins, protein aggregation; CP: Cell biology; chaperone; disaggregase; mitochondria; mitochondrial disorders; therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Ankyrins* / metabolism
  • Heat-Shock Proteins* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Protein Transport

Substances

  • Ankyrins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Nucleotides
  • Adenosine Triphosphate