Is ABCC6 a genuine mitochondrial protein?

Abstract

Background: A recent article in Circulation Research suggests that the protein ABCC6, which when defective is responsible for pseudoxanthoma elasticum, an inherited condition with skin, eye and cardiovascular manifestations, is associated with dysfunction in mitochondria - Martin et al.: ABCC6 Localizes to the Mitochondria-Associated Membrane. Circ Res 2012, 111:516-520. We present complementary information based on a bioinformatics analysis, which was not performed in the article cited, to examine the suggestion that ABCC6 is localized to mitochondria. Results: All the computational strategies and integrative approaches that constitute references in the field indicate that ABCC6 is localized outside of mitochondria. Conclusion: Our computational and integrative results, including both experimental and predictive data, show that there is no support in favor of the localization of ABCC6 in mitochondria. © 2013 Ferré et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.