Evidence for a conserved system for iron metabolism in the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

nifU of nitrogen-fixing bacteria is involved in the synthesis of the Fe-S cluster of nitrogenase. In a synthetic lethal screen with the mitochondrial heat shock protein (HSP)70, SSQ1, we identified a gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, NFU1, which encodes a protein with sequence identity to the C-terminal domain of NifU. Two other yeast genes were found to encode proteins related to the N-terminal domain of bacterial NifU. They have been designated ISU1 and ISU2. Isu1, Isu2, and Nfu1 are located in the mitochondrial matrix. ISU genes of yeast carry out an essential function, because a (delta)isu1 (delta)isu2 strain is inviable. Growth of (delta)nfu1 (delta)isu1 cells is significantly compromised, allowing assessment of the physiological roles of Nfu and Isu proteins. Mitochondria from (delta)nfu1 (delta)isu1 cells have decreased activity of several respiratory enzymes that contain Fe-S clusters. As a result, (delta)nfu1 (delta)isu1 cells grow poorly on carbon sources requiring respiration. (delta)nfu1 (delta)isu1 cells also accumulate abnormally high levels of iron in their mitochondria, similar to (delta)ssq1 cells, indicating a role for these proteins in iron metabolism. We suggest that NFU1 and ISU1 gene products play a role in iron homeostasis, perhaps in assembly, insertion, and/or repair of mitochondrial Fe-S clusters. The conservation of these protein domains in many organisms suggests that this role has been conserved throughout evolution.