4ggj

Structural highlights

Function

PLD6_MOUSE Regulates mitochondrial shape through facilitating mitochondrial fusion. During spermatogenesis, plays a critical role in PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) biogenesis. piRNAs provide essential protection against the activity of mobile genetic elements. piRNA-mediated transposon silencing is thus critical for maintaining genome stability, in particular in germline cells when transposons are mobilized as a consequence of wide-spread genomic demethylation. Has been proposed to act as a cardiolipin hydrolase to generate phosphatidic acid at mitochondrial surface (PubMed:21397848). Although it cannot be excluded that it can act as a phospholipase in some circumstances, it should be noted that cardiolipin hydrolase activity is either undetectable in vitro (PubMed:23064227 and PubMed:23064230), or very low. In addition, cardiolipin is almost exclusively found on the inner mitochondrial membrane, while PLD6 localizes to the outer mitochondrial membrane, facing the cytosol. Has been shown to be a backbone-non-specific, single strand-specific nuclease, cleaving either RNA or DNA substrates with similar affinity (PubMed:23064227 and PubMed:23064230). Produces 5' phosphate and 3' hydroxyl termini, suggesting it could directly participate in the processing of primary piRNA transcripts.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

References

1. ↑ Watanabe T, Chuma S, Yamamoto Y, Kuramochi-Miyagawa S, Totoki Y, Toyoda A, Hoki Y, Fujiyama A, Shibata T, Sado T, Noce T, Nakano T, Nakatsuji N, Lin H, Sasaki H. MITOPLD is a mitochondrial protein essential for nuage formation and piRNA biogenesis in the mouse germline. Dev Cell. 2011 Mar 15;20(3):364-75. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2011.01.005. PMID:21397847 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2011.01.005
2. ↑ Huang H, Gao Q, Peng X, Choi SY, Sarma K, Ren H, Morris AJ, Frohman MA. piRNA-associated germline nuage formation and spermatogenesis require MitoPLD profusogenic mitochondrial-surface lipid signaling. Dev Cell. 2011 Mar 15;20(3):376-87. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2011.01.004. PMID:21397848 doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2011.01.004
3. ↑ Ipsaro JJ, Haase AD, Knott SR, Joshua-Tor L, Hannon GJ. The structural biochemistry of Zucchini implicates it as a nuclease in piRNA biogenesis. Nature. 2012 Nov 8;491(7423):279-83. doi: 10.1038/nature11502. Epub 2012 Oct 14. PMID:23064227 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11502
4. ↑ Nishimasu H, Ishizu H, Saito K, Fukuhara S, Kamatani MK, Bonnefond L, Matsumoto N, Nishizawa T, Nakanaga K, Aoki J, Ishitani R, Siomi H, Siomi MC, Nureki O. Structure and function of Zucchini endoribonuclease in piRNA biogenesis. Nature. 2012 Nov 8;491(7423):284-7. doi: 10.1038/nature11509. Epub 2012 Oct 14. PMID:23064230 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11509