Evidence for a degradosome-like complex in the mitochondria of Trypanosoma brucei

Mitochondrial RNA turnover in yeast involves the degradosome, composed of DSS-1 exoribonuclease and SUV3 RNA helicase. Here, we describe a degradosome-like complex, containing SUV3 and DSS-1 homologues, in the early branching protozoan, Trypanosoma brucei. TbSUV3 is mitochondrially localized and co-sediments with TbDSS-1 on glycerol gradients. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrates that TbSUV3 and TbDSS-1 associate in a stable complex, which differs from the yeast degradosome in that it is not stably associated with mitochondrial ribosomes. This is the first report of a mitochondrial degradosome-like complex outside of yeast. Our data indicate an early evolutionary origin for the mitochondrial SUV3/DSS-1 containing complex.Structured summaryMINT-7187980: SUV3 (genbank_protein_gi:XP_844349) and DSS1 (uniprotkb:Q38EM3) colocalize (MI:0403) by cosedimentation (MI:0027)MINT-7188074: SUV3 (genbank_protein_gi:XP_844349) physically interacts (MI:0914) with DSS1 (uniprotkb:Q38EM3) by anti tag co-immunoprecipitation (MI:0007)