Proteomic analysis of mitochondrial protein turnover: identification of novel substrate proteins of the matrix protease pim1.

ATP-dependent oligomeric proteases are major components of cellular protein quality control systems. To investigate the role of proteolytic processes in the maintenance of mitochondrial functions, we analyzed the dynamic behavior of the mitochondrial proteome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by two-dimensional (2D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. By a characterization of the influence of temperature on protein turnover in isolated mitochondria, we were able to define four groups of proteins showing a differential susceptibility to proteolysis. The protein Pim1/LON has been shown to be the main protease in the mitochondrial matrix responsible for the removal of damaged or nonnative proteins. To assess the substrate range of Pim1 under in vivo conditions, we performed a quantitative comparison of the 2D protein spot patterns between wild-type and pim1Delta mitochondria. We were able to identify a novel subset of mitochondrial proteins that are putative endogenous substrates of Pim1. Using an in organello degradation assay, we confirmed the Pim1-specific, ATP-dependent proteolysis of the newly identified substrate proteins. We could demonstrate that the functional integrity of the Pim1 substrate proteins, in particular, the presence of intact prosthetic groups, had a major influence on the susceptibility to proteolysis.