Structures of Tetrahymena thermophila respiratory megacomplexes on the tubular mitochondrial cristae

Abstract

Tetrahymena thermophila, a classic ciliate model organism, has been shown to possess tubular mitochondrial cristae and highly divergent electron transport chain involving four transmembrane protein complexes (I–IV). Here we report cryo-EM structures of its ~8 MDa megacomplex IV2+ (I + III2+ II)2, as well as a ~ 10.6 MDa megacomplex (IV2 + I + III2+ II)2 at lower resolution. In megacomplex IV2+ (I + III2+ II)2, each CIV2 protomer associates one copy of supercomplex I + III2 and one copy of CII, forming a half ring-shaped architecture that adapts to the membrane curvature of mitochondrial cristae. Megacomplex (IV2+ I + III2+ II)2 defines the relative position between neighbouring half rings and maintains the proximity between CIV2 and CIII2 cytochrome c binding sites. Our findings expand the current understanding of divergence in eukaryotic electron transport chain organization and how it is related to mitochondrial morphology.