Meta-Biol

• Pathways

NADPH, ferredoxin reductase (FDXR, Adrenodoxin reductase), and ferredoxins (FDX1, FDX1L) comprise a short electron transport chain that provides electrons for biosynthesis of iron-sulfur clusters and steroid hormones (Sheftel et al. 2010, Shi et al. 2012, reviewed in Grinberg et al. 2000, Lambeth et al. 1982).

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins are localized in the cytosol, nucleus, and mitochondria of mammalian cells (reviewed in Stemmler et al. 2010, Rouault 2012, Bandyopadhyay et al. 2008, Lill 2009, Lill et al. 2012). Fe-S protein biogenesis in the mitochondrial matrix involves the iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) assembly machinery. Ferrous iron is transported across the inner mitochondrial membrane into the mitochondrial matrix by Mitoferrin-1 (SLC25A37) and Mitoferrin-2 (SLC25A28). (Mitoferrin-1 is enriched in erythroid cells while Mitoferrin-2 is ubiquitous.) Frataxin binds ferrous iron in the mitochondrial matrix. The cysteine desulfurase NFS1 in a subcomplex with ISD11 provides the sulfur by converting cyteine into alanine and forming a persulfide which is used for cluster formation on ISCU, the scaffold protein. Interaction between NFS1 and ISD11 is necessary for desulfurase activity. Frataxin binds to a complex containing NFS1, ISD11, and ISCU and is proposed to function as an iron donor to ISCU or as an allosteric switch that activates sulfur transfer and Fe-S cluster assembly (Tsai and Barondeau 2010). Cluster formation also involves the electron transfer chain ferredoxin reductase and ferredoxin. ISCU initially forms clusters containing 2 iron atoms and 2 sulfur atoms ([2Fe-2S] clusters). They are released by the function of HSP70-HSC20 chaperones and the monothiol glutaredoxin GLRX5 and used for assembly of [2Fe-2S] proteins. Assembly of larger clusters such as [4Fe-4S] clusters may involve the function of ISCA1, ISCA2, and IBA57. The clusters are transferred to apo-enzymes such as the respiratory complexes, aconitase, and lipoate synthase through dedicated targeting factors such as IND1, NFU1, and BOLA3.

Metabolic processes in human cells generate energy through the oxidation of molecules consumed in the diet and mediate the synthesis of diverse essential molecules not taken in the diet as well as the inactivation and elimination of toxic ones generated endogenously or present in the extracellular environment. The processes of energy metabolism can be classified into two groups according to whether they involve carbohydrate-derived or lipid-derived molecules, and within each group it is useful to distinguish processes that mediate the breakdown and oxidation of these molecules to yield energy from ones that mediate their synthesis and storage as internal energy reserves. Synthetic reactions are conveniently grouped by the chemical nature of the end products, such as nucleotides, amino acids and related molecules, and porphyrins. Detoxification reactions (biological oxidations) are likewise conveniently classified by the chemical nature of the toxin.

At the same time, all of these processes are tightly integrated. Intermediates in reactions of energy generation are starting materials for biosyntheses of amino acids and other compounds, broad-specificity oxidoreductase enzymes can be involved in both detoxification reactions and biosyntheses, and hormone-mediated signaling processes function to coordinate the operation of energy-generating and energy-storing reactions and to couple these to other biosynthetic processes.