The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is activated by extracellular factors that control bone accrual. However, the direct role of this complex in osteoblast biology remains to be determined. To investigate this question, we disrupted mTORC1 function in preosteoblasts by targeted deletion of Raptor (Rptor) in Osterix-expressing cells. Deletion of Rptor resulted in reduced limb length that was associated with smaller epiphyseal growth plates in the postnatal skeleton. Rptor deletion caused a marked reduction in pre-and postnatal bone accrual, which was evident in skeletal elements derived from both intramembranous and endochondrial ossification. The decrease in bone accrual, as well as the associated increase in skeletal fragility, was due to a reduction in osteoblast function. In vitro, osteoblasts derived from knockout mice display a reduced osteogenic potential, and an assessment of bone-developmental markers in Rptor knockout osteoblasts revealed a transcriptional profile consistent with an immature osteoblast phenotype suggesting that osteoblast differentiation was stalled early in osteogenesis. Metabolic labeling and an assessment of cell size of Rptor knockout osteoblasts revealed a significant decrease in protein synthesis, a major driver of cell growth. These findings demonstrate that mTORC1 plays an important role in skeletal development by regulating mRNA translation during preosteoblast differentiation.

Since its discovery more than 25 years ago, the STRO-1 antibody has played a fundamental role in defining the hierarchical nature of mesenchymal precursor cells (MPC) and their progeny. STRO-1 antibody binding remains a hallmark of immature pluripotent MPC. Despite the significance of STRO-1 in the MPC field, the identity of the antigen has remained elusive. Using a combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, coupled with Western blotting and Tandem mass spectroscopy, we have identified the STRO-1 antigen as heat shock cognate 70 (HSC70;HSPA8). STRO-1 binds to immune-precipitated HSC70 and siRNA-mediated knock down of HSPA8 reduced STRO-1 binding. STRO-1 surface binding does not correlate with HSC70 expression and sequestration of cholesterol reduces STRO-1 surface binding, suggesting that the plasma membrane lipid composition may be an important determinant in the presentation of HSC70 on the cell surface. HSC70 is present on the surface of STRO-1 but not STRO-1 cell lines as assessed by cell surface biotinylation and recombinant HSC70 blocks STRO-1 binding to the cell surface. The STRO-1 epitope on HSC70 was mapped to the ATPase domain using a series of deletion mutants in combination with peptide arrays. Deletion of the first four amino acids of the consensus epitope negated STRO-1 binding. Notably, in addition to HSC70, STRO-1 cross-reacts with heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), however all the clonogenic cell activity is restricted to the STRO-1 /HSP70 fraction. These results provide important insight into the properties that define multipotent MPC and provide the impetus to explore the role of cell surface HSC70 in MPC biology. Stem Cells 2017;35:940-951.

To maintain both mitochondrial quality and quantity, cells selectively remove damaged or excessive mitochondria through mitophagy, which is a specialised form of autophagy. Mitophagy is induced in response to diverse conditions, including hypoxia, cellular differentiation and mitochondrial damage. However, the mechanisms that govern the removal of specific dysfunctional mitochondria under steady‐state conditions to fine‐tune mitochondrial content are not well understood. Here, we report that SCFFBXL4, an SKP1/CUL1/F‐box protein ubiquitin ligase complex, localises to the mitochondrial outer membrane in unstressed cells and mediates the constitutive ubiquitylation and degradation of the mitophagy receptors NIX and BNIP3 to suppress basal levels of mitophagy. We demonstrate that the pathogenic variants of FBXL4 that cause encephalopathic mtDNA depletion syndrome (MTDPS13) do not efficiently interact with the core SCF ubiquitin ligase machinery or mediate the degradation of NIX and BNIP3. Thus, we reveal a molecular mechanism whereby FBXL4 actively suppresses mitophagy by preventing NIX and BNIP3 accumulation. We propose that the dysregulation of NIX and BNIP3 turnover causes excessive basal mitophagy in FBXL4‐associated mtDNA depletion syndrome.

Cells selectively remove damaged or excessive mitochondria through mitophagy, a specialized form of autophagy, to maintain mitochondrial quality and quantity. Mitophagy is induced in response to diverse conditions, including hypoxia, cellular differentiation, and mitochondrial damage. However, the mechanisms by which cells remove specific dysfunctional mitochondria under steady-state conditions to fine-tune mitochondrial content are not well understood. Here, we report that SCFFBXL4, an SKP1/CUL1/F-box protein ubiquitin ligase complex, localizes to the mitochondrial outer membrane in unstressed cells and mediates the constitutive ubiquitylation and degradation of the mitophagy receptors NIX and BNIP3 to suppress basal levels of mitophagy. We demonstrate that, unlike wild-type FBXL4, pathogenic variants of FBXL4 that cause encephalopathic mtDNA depletion syndrome (MTDPS13), do not efficiently interact with the core SCF ubiquitin ligase machinery or mediate the degradation of NIX and BNIP3. Thus, we reveal a molecular mechanism that actively suppresses mitophagy via preventing NIX and BNIP3 accumulation and propose that excessive basal mitophagy in the FBXL4-associated mtDNA depletion syndrome is caused by dysregulation of NIX and BNIP3 turnover.