Complexes between hexokinase, outer membrane porin, and the adenylate translocator (ANT) were recently found to establish properties of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in a reconstituted system. The complex was extracted by 0.5% Triton X-100 from rat brain membranes and separated by anion exchanger chromatography. The molecular weight was approximately 400 kDa suggesting tetramers of hexokinase (monomer 100kDa). By the same method a porin, creatine kinase octamer, ANT complex was isolated and reconstituted in liposomes. Vesicles containing the reconstituted complexes both retained ATP that could be used by either kinase to phosphorylate external creatine or glucose. Atractyloside inhibited this activity indicating that the ANT was involved in this process and was functionally reconstituted. Exclusively from the hexokinase complex containing liposome internal malate or ATP was released by addition of Ca2+ in a N-methylVal-4-cyclosporin sensitive way, suggesting that the hexokinase porin ANT complex might include the permeability transition pore (PTP). The Ca2+ dependent opening of the PTP-like structure was inhibited by ADP (apparent I(50), 8 microM) and ATP (apparent I(50), 84 microM). Also glucose inhibited the PTP-like activity, while glucose-6-phosphate abolished this effect. Although porin and ANT were functionally active in vesicles containing the creatine kinase octamer complex, Ca2+ did not induce a release of internal substrates. However, after dissociation of the creatine kinase octamer, the complex exhibited PTP-like properties and the vesicles liberated internal metabolites upon addition of Ca2+. The latter process was also inhibited by N-methylVal-4-cyclosporin. The activity of peptidyl-prolyl-cis-trans-isomerase (representing cyclophilin) was followed during complex isolation. Cyp D was co-purified with the hexokinase complex, while it was absent in the creatine kinase complex. The inhibitory effect of N-methylVal-4-cyclosporin on the creatine kinase complex may be explained by direct interaction with the creatine kinase dimer that appeared to support octamer formation.

A fusion protein between cyclophilin-D (CyP-D) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) was shown to bind to purified liver inner mitochondrial membranes (IMMs) in a cyclosporin A (CsA)-sensitive manner. Binding was enhanced by diamide treatment of the IMMs. Immobilized GST-CyP-D avidly bound a single 30 kDa protein present in Triton X-100-solubilized IMMs; immunoblotting showed this to be the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT). Binding was prevented by pretreatment of the CyP-D with CsA, but not with cyclosporin H. Purified ANT also bound specifically to GST-CyP-D, but porin did not, even in the presence of ANT.

In vitro incubation of isolated hexokinase isozyme I or isolated dimer of mitochondrial creatine kinase with the outer mitochondrial membrane pore led to high molecular weight complexes of enzyme oligomers. Similar complexes of hexokinase and mitochondrial creatine kinase could be extracted by 0.5% Triton X-100 from homogenates of rat brain. Hexokinase and creatine kinase complexes could be separated by subsequent chromatography on DEAE anion exchanger. The molecular weight, as determined by gel-permeation chromatography, was approximately 400 kDa for both complexes. The Mr suggested tetramers of hexokinase (monomer 100 kDa) and creatine kinase (active enzyme is a dimer of 80 kDa). The composition of the complexes was further characterised by specific antibodies. Besides either hexokinase or creatine kinase molecules the complexes contained porin and adenylate translocator. It was possible to incorporate the complexes into artificial bilayer membranes and to measure conductance in 1 M KCI. The incorporating channels had a high conductance of 6 nS that was asymmetrically voltage dependent. The complexes were also reconstituted in phospholipid vesicles that were loaded with ATP. Complex containing vesicles retained ATP while vesicles reconstituted with pure porin were leaky. The internal ATP could be used by creatine kinase and bexokinase in the complex to phosphorylate external creatine or glucose. This process was inhibited by atractyloside. The hexokinase complex containing vesicles were furthermore loaded with malate or ATP that was gradually released by addition of Ca 2+ between 100 and 600 IJNI. The liberation of malate or ATP by Ca 2+ could be inhibited by N-methylVal-4-cyclosporin, suggesting that the porin translocator complex constitutes the permeability transition pore. The results show the physiological existence of kinase porin translocator complexes at the mitochondrial surface. It is assumed that such complexes between inner and outer membrane components are the molecular basis of contact sites observed by electron microscopy. Kinase complex formation may serve three regulatory functions, firstly regulation of the kinase activity, secondly stimulation of oxidative phosphorylation and thirdly regulation of the permeability transition pore.

Contact sites between the outer and peripheral inner membrane of mitochondria are involved in protein precursor uptake and energy transfer. Hexokinase and mitochondrial creatine kinase could be attributed by different techniques to the energy transfer contacts. Kinetic analyses suggested a functional interaction between the kinases, outer membrane pore protein, and inner membrane adenylate translocator (ANT). This suggestion was strongly supported by isolation of hexokinase and creatine kinase complexes that were constituted of kinase oligomers, porin and ANT. Phospholipid vesicles carrying reconstituted kinase-porin-ANT complexes enclosed internal ATP in contrast to vesicles containing free porin only. This indicated that unspecific transport through porin was regulated by its interaction with a specific antiporter, ANT. A direct interaction between porin and ANT in the hexokinase complex conferred the reconstituted system with permeability properties reminiscent of the mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) pore. In the creatine kinase complex this interaction between porin and ANT was replaced by contact of both with the kinase octamer. Thus PT-pore-like functions were not observed unless the creatine kinase octamer was dissociated, suggesting that the ANT was locked in the antiporter state by interaction with the octamer. Indeed, reconstituted pure ANT showed PT-pore-like properties concerning Ca2+ sensitivity. However, as cyclophilin was missing, sensitivity against cyclosporin was not observed.

Highly purified adenylate translocase (ANT) from rat heart mitochondria was functionally reconstituted as ATP/ADP exchange carrier in asolectin/cardiolipin vesicles. The ANT preparations used were free of porin, cyclophilin D, and Bax as analysed immunologically and by activity measurements. After pre-loading the ANT-containing proteoliposomes with ATP, malate or AMP, a gradual release of the trapped compounds by increasing the external Ca 2+ concentrations could be demonstrated. N-Methyl-Val-4-cyclosporin did not inhibit the Ca 2+ dependent release of internal substances from ANT liposomes. This inhibitor was found to be specific for the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MTP) in intact mitochondria or reconstituted MTP-like protein complexes (e.g. hexokinase, porin, ANT complex). However, ADP in concentrations s 20 W WM inhibited the liberation of internal compounds, while in contrast, atractyloside (30 W WM) and HgCl 2 (5 W WM) both induced permeability of the ANT-containing liposomes resulting in a release of trapped substances. These results strongly suggest that ANT itself is capable to adopt a pore-like structure under conditions known to induce the permeability transition in mitochondria.z 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.