Cited by 797Enzyme Structure and FunctionMitochondrial Function and PathologyATP Synthase and ATPases Research

Crystal structure of the entire respiratory complex I

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Baradaran, Rozbeh, Berrisford, John M., Minhas, Gurdeep S., Sazanov, Leonid A.·2013·Nature

Abstract

Complex I is the first and largest enzyme of the respiratory chain and has a central role in cellular energy production through the coupling of NADH:ubiquinone electron transfer to proton translocation. It is also implicated in many common human neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report the first crystal structure of the entire, intact complex I (from Thermus thermophilus) at 3.3 Å resolution. The structure of the 536-kDa complex comprises 16 different subunits, with a total of 64 transmembrane helices and 9 iron-sulphur clusters. The core fold of subunit Nqo8 (ND1 in humans) is, unexpectedly, similar to a half-channel of the antiporter-like subunits. Small subunits nearby form a linked second half-channel, which completes the fourth proton-translocation pathway (present in addition to the channels in three antiporter-like subunits). The quinone-binding site is unusually long, narrow and enclosed. The quinone headgroup binds at the deep end of this chamber, near iron-sulphur cluster N2. Notably, the chamber is linked to the fourth channel by a 'funnel' of charged residues. The link continues over the entire membrane domain as a flexible central axis of charged and polar residues, and probably has a leading role in the propagation of conformational changes, aided by coupling elements. The structure suggests that a unique, out-of-the-membrane quinone-reaction chamber enables the redox energy to drive concerted long-range conformational changes in the four antiporter-like domains, resulting in translocation of four protons per cycle.

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  • The model shows Cys39 is at the hinge region of complex I facing the mitochondrial matrix, adjacent to the half-channel element of one proposed proton translocation pathway and close to the ubiquinone binding pocket.

    “Our model shows that Cys39 is located at the hinge region of complex I facing the mitochondrial matrix. Furthermore, Cys39 is adjacent to the half-channel element of one of the four proposed proton translocation pathways of complex I and is close to the ubiquinone binding pocket, where ubiquinone receives electrons from the N2 iron-sulfur center (Fig. 3g)34.”
  • Modeling using prokaryotic complex I structures produced an orthologous mammalian core structure containing ND3 Cys39.

    “We modeled the location of ND3 Cys39 using structures of prokaryotic complex I (refs. 32–34). This modeling led to an orthologous mammalian core structure containing ND3 Cys39 (Fig. 3f,g and Supplementary Figs. 14 and 15).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [53]Adams PD PHENIX: building new software for automated crystallographic structure determination Acta Crystallogr. D 2002 58 1948 1954 12393927
  2. [54]Brunger AT Version 1.2 of the Crystallography and NMR system Nat. Protoc 2007 2 2728 2733 18007608
  3. [59]Zhang L Hermans J Hydrophilicity of cavities in proteins Proteins 1996 24 433 438 9162944

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Authors
Baradaran, R., Berrisford, J. M., Minhas, G. S., & Sazanov, L. A.
Affiliations
  • MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit (GB)
  • European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
Corresponding author
Sazanov, Leonid A.
Venue
Nature
Published
2013-02
Volume
494
Issue
7438
Pages
443-448
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2058570690
Cited by
797
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 62 · 2021: 58 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 73 · 2017: 60 · 2016: 82 · 2015: 67 · 2014: 83 · 2013: 50 · 2012: 2
FWCI
42.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DORA PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Enzyme Structure and Function
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › ATP Synthase and ATPases Research
Keywords
mitochondrial complex I, mitochondrial electron transport chain, Thermus thermophilus, quinone binding site, proton translocation, iron-sulfur clusters, ND1, conformational coupling, neurodegenerative diseases
MeSH terms
Cell Membrane, Humans, Models, Molecular, NAD, Oxidation-Reduction, Protons, Ubiquinone, Benzoquinones, Thermus thermophilus, Protein Folding, Crystallography, X-Ray, Proton-Motive Force, Protein Subunits, Electron Transport Complex I, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions

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