<b>Functional Characterization of LETM1-Domain Containing 1 (LETMD1) in Brown Adipocyte Mitochondria</b>
Creators: name: Snyder, Madigan McKenna
Publisher: name: Purdue University Graduate School
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 310103
subject: Cell metabolism
classificationCode: 310902
subject: Animal cell and molecular biology

description: Adipose tissue consists of adipocytes that store energy within lipid droplets and are a central component of lipid metabolism. Mammals contain white, brown and beige adipocytes, which differ in their metabolic roles. White adipocytes store energy, in the form of triglycerides, within lipid droplets and predominantly take on an energy storage role. Brown and beige adipocytes promote energy expenditure and the dissipation of energy as heat through non-shivering thermogenesis. Since energy expenditure combats excess caloric intake and overeating, non-shivering thermogenesis has become heavily researched for its potential therapeutic use in combatting the continued increase in obesity and metabolic disorders worldwide.In addition to ATP synthesis, mitochondria are required for a multitude of metabolic processes that maintain cellular homeostasis, including non-shivering thermogenesis. Brown and beige adipocyte mitochondria are specialized to perform non-shivering thermogenesis in response to an environmental stressor like cold exposure. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is uniquely characteristic of brown and beige adipocyte mitochondria, because it allows oxidative phosphorylation to be uncoupled from ATP synthesis. In order to enhance non-shivering thermogenesis, ongoing molecular characterization of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is being conducted to identify proteins that regulate mitochondrial function and UCP1 activity. In this study, I explored the function of LETM1-domain containing 1 (LETMD1), a novel mitochondrial inner membrane protein with unknown function in BAT. We generated a global (<i>Letmd1</i><sup><em>KO</em></sup>) and UCP1+ cell-specific <i>(Letmd1</i><sup><em>UKO</em></sup><i>) knockout</i><i> </i>mouse model to study the whole-body and cell-autonomous role of LETMD1 in BAT, respectively. Loss-of-function studies resulted in striking, BAT-specific phenotypic differences, including whitened BAT under thermoneutral, room temperature and cold exposure. Both knockout models were cold intolerant without access to food, and became hypothermic within a few hours of fasted cold exposure. Loss of normal mitochondria structure and cristae arrangement were also evident in knockout BAT, resulting in a decreased number of mitochondria and decreased number of cristae per mitochondrion. Mitochondrial DNA copy number was also significantly decreased in both knockout models. Abnormal mitochondria morphology was supported by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in both knockout models and the visualization of protein aggregates and mitophagy-like morphologies in <i>Letmd1</i><sup><em>UKO</em></sup><i> </i><i>mice specifically</i>. TurboID proximity labeling of brown adipocytes revealed enrichment of several respiratory chain complex proteins, mitochondrial ribosome proteins and mitochondrial protein import machinery. Moreover, the aggregation of misfolded nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins, including several respiratory chain and mitochondrial ribosome proteins, suggested that LETMD1 facilitates mitochondrial protein import and mitochondrial ribosome assembly, thereby compromising respiratory chain assembly and function during non-shivering thermogenesis. Overall, this study identifies LETMD1 as a novel regulator of brown adipocyte mitochondrial structure and thermogenic function and highlights the requirement of LETMD1 for mitochondrial biogenesis.