Biomaterial Database

Bioenergetics of the obligate intracellular parasite Rickettsia prowazekii. 1998

S G Andersson

Department of Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Siv.Andersson@molbio.uu.se

Mitochondria are thought to be derived from an ancestor of the alpha-proteobacteria and more specifically from the Rickettsiaceae. The bioenergetic repertoire of the obligate intracellular parasite Rickettsia prowazekii is consistent with its postulated role as the ancestor of the mitochondria. For example, the R. prowazekii genome contains genes encoding components of the tricarboxylic acid cycle as well as of the electron transport system, but lacks genes to support glycolysis. In addition, the R. prowazekii genome contains multiple genes coding for adenine nucleotide translocators which enables this intracellular parasite to exploit the cytoplasmic ATP of its host cell as a source of energy. The aim of this review is to describe the different aspects of the bioenergetic system in R. prowazekii and to discuss the results of phylogenetic reconstructions based on a variety of bioenergetic molecules which shed light on the origin and evolution of the mitochondrial genomes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008928	Mitochondria	Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D009876	Operon	In bacteria, a group of metabolically related genes, with a common promoter, whose transcription into a single polycistronic MESSENGER RNA is under the control of an OPERATOR REGION.	Operons
D010084	Oxidation-Reduction	A chemical reaction in which an electron is transferred from one molecule to another. The electron-donating molecule is the reducing agent or reductant; the electron-accepting molecule is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Reducing and oxidizing agents function as conjugate reductant-oxidant pairs or redox pairs (Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 1982, p471).	Redox,Oxidation Reduction
D004579	Electron Transport	The process by which ELECTRONS are transported from a reduced substrate to molecular OXYGEN. (From Bennington, Saunders Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Laboratory Medicine and Technology, 1984, p270)	Respiratory Chain,Chain, Respiratory,Chains, Respiratory,Respiratory Chains,Transport, Electron
D004734	Energy Metabolism	The chemical reactions involved in the production and utilization of various forms of energy in cells.	Bioenergetics,Energy Expenditure,Bioenergetic,Energy Expenditures,Energy Metabolisms,Expenditure, Energy,Expenditures, Energy,Metabolism, Energy,Metabolisms, Energy
D006180	Proton-Translocating ATPases	Multisubunit enzymes that reversibly synthesize ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE. They are coupled to the transport of protons across a membrane.	ATP Dependent Proton Translocase,ATPase, F0,ATPase, F1,Adenosinetriphosphatase F1,F(1)F(0)-ATPase,F1 ATPase,H(+)-Transporting ATP Synthase,H(+)-Transporting ATPase,H(+)ATPase Complex,Proton-Translocating ATPase,Proton-Translocating ATPase Complex,Proton-Translocating ATPase Complexes,ATPase, F(1)F(0),ATPase, F0F1,ATPase, H(+),Adenosine Triphosphatase Complex,F(0)F(1)-ATP Synthase,F-0-ATPase,F-1-ATPase,F0F1 ATPase,F1-ATPase,F1F0 ATPase Complex,H(+)-ATPase,H(+)-Transporting ATP Synthase, Acyl-Phosphate-Linked,H+ ATPase,H+ Transporting ATP Synthase,H+-Translocating ATPase,Proton-Translocating ATPase, F0 Sector,Proton-Translocating ATPase, F1 Sector,ATPase Complex, Proton-Translocating,ATPase Complexes, Proton-Translocating,ATPase, H+,ATPase, H+-Translocating,ATPase, Proton-Translocating,Complex, Adenosine Triphosphatase,Complexes, Proton-Translocating ATPase,F 0 ATPase,F 1 ATPase,F0 ATPase,H+ Translocating ATPase,Proton Translocating ATPase,Proton Translocating ATPase Complex,Proton Translocating ATPase Complexes,Proton Translocating ATPase, F0 Sector,Proton Translocating ATPase, F1 Sector,Triphosphatase Complex, Adenosine
D000226	Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases	A class of nucleotide translocases found abundantly in mitochondria that function as integral components of the inner mitochondrial membrane. They facilitate the exchange of ADP and ATP between the cytosol and the mitochondria, thereby linking the subcellular compartments of ATP production to those of ATP utilization.	ADP,ATP Carrier,ADP,ATP Translocator Protein,Adenine Nucleotide Translocase,ADP Translocase,ATP Translocase,ATP,ADP-Carrier,ATP-ADP Translocase,Adenine Nucleotide Carrier (Mitochondrial),Mitochondrial ADP-ATP Carriers,ADP-ATP Carriers, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial ADP ATP Carriers
D012283	Rickettsia prowazekii	A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria that is the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus fever acquired through contact with lice (TYPHUS, EPIDEMIC LOUSE-BORNE) as well as Brill's disease.
D016680	Genome, Bacterial	The genetic complement of a BACTERIA as represented in its DNA.	Bacterial Genome,Bacterial Genomes,Genomes, Bacterial
D019343	Citric Acid	A key intermediate in metabolism. It is an acid compound found in citrus fruits. The salts of citric acid (citrates) can be used as anticoagulants due to their calcium chelating ability.	Citrate,Anhydrous Citric Acid,Citric Acid Monohydrate,Citric Acid, Anhydrous,Uralyt U