The mitochondrial inner membrane AAA metalloprotease family in metazoans

Three metalloproteases belonging to the AAA superfamily (Yme1p, Afg3p and R ca1p) are involved in protein turnover and respiratory chain complex assemb ly in the yeast inner mitochondrial membrane, Analysis of the completed gen ome sequences of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster indicat es that this gene family typically comprises 3-4 members in metazoans, Phyl ogenetic analysis reveals three main branches represented, respectively, by Saccharomyces cerevisiae YME1, human SPG7 (paraplegin) and S, cerevisiae A FG3 and RCA1. mt-AAA metalloproteases are weak candidates for several previ ously studied Drosophila mutants. A full elucidation of the cellular and ph ysiological roles of mt-AAA metalloproteases in metazoans will require the creation of targeted mutations, (C) 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.