Mitochondrial ribosomes translate membrane integral core subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation system encoded by mtDNA. These translation products associate with nuclear-encoded, imported proteins to form enzyme complexes that produce ATP. Here, we show that human mitochondrial ribosomes display translational plasticity to cope with the supply of imported nuclear-encoded subunits. Ribosomes expressing mitochondrial-encoded COX1 mRNA selectively engage with cytochrome c oxidase assembly factors in the inner membrane. Assembly defects of the cytochrome c oxidase arrest mitochondrial translation in a ribosome nascent chain complex with a partially membrane-inserted COX1 translation product. This complex represents a primed state of the translation product that can be retrieved for assembly. These findings establish a mammalian translational plasticity pathway in mitochondria that enables adaptation of mitochondrial protein synthesis to the influx of nuclear-encoded subunits.
CITATION STYLE
Richter-Dennerlein, R., Oeljeklaus, S., Lorenzi, I., Ronsör, C., Bareth, B., Schendzielorz, A. B., … Dennerlein, S. (2016). Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis Adapts to Influx of Nuclear-Encoded Protein. Cell, 167(2), 471-483.e10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.003
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