Abstract
The mitochondrial respiratory chain is organized in a dynamic set of supercomplexes (SCs). The COX7A2L protein is essential for mammalian SC III2+IV assembly. However, its function in respirasome (SCs I+III2+IVn) biogenesis remains controversial. To unambiguously determine the COX7A2L role, we generated COX7A2L-knockout (COX7A2L-KO) HEK293T and U87 cells. COX7A2L-KO cells lack SC III2+IV but have enhanced complex III steady-state levels, activity, and assembly rate, normal de novo complex IV biogenesis, and delayed respirasome formation. Nonetheless, the KOs have normal respirasome steady-state levels, and only larger structures (SCs I1-2+III2+IV2-n or megacomplexes) were undetected. Functional substrate-driven competition assays showed normal mitochondrial respiration in COX7A2L-KO cells in standard and nutritional-, environmental-, and oxidative-stress-challenging conditions. We conclude that COX7A2L establishes a regulatory checkpoint for the biogenesis of CIII2 and specific SCs, but the COX7A2L-dependent MRC remodeling is essential neither to maintain mitochondrial bioenergetics nor to cope with acute cellular stresses.
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•COX7A2L-knockout human cells lack SC III2+IV and some megacomplexes•COX7A2L-KO cells have enhanced CIII2 steady-state levels and assembly rate•COX7A2L-KO cells have slower respirasome assembly but normal steady-state levels•COX7A2L-dependent MRC remodeling does not affect mitochondrial bioenergetics
The role of COX7A2L in mitochondrial respiratory chain supercomplex biogenesis and function remains controversial. By analyzing COX7A2L-knockout human cells, Lobo-Jarne et al. report that this protein promotes specific respiratory chain complex assembly and organization remodeling but does not affect mitochondrial bioenergetics in physiological, nutritional, or oxidative stress conditions.
