Anaerobically functioning mitochondria: evolutionary perspective on modulation of energy metabolism in Mytilus edulis

Abstract

The mitochondrion represents a compelling biological model of complex organelle development driven by evolutionary modification of permanently enslaved primordial purple non-sulphur bacteria. As an evolutionary modification, the dynamic nature of the mitochondrion has been observed to exhibit biochemical and functional variation, including the capacity for energy production driven by anaerobic respiratory mechanisms. In invertebrates, mitochondrial anaerobic respiration allows the organism to survive at a lower energy state while yielding more ATP than can be achieved by glycolysis alone. Furthermore, a preferred physiological state of lower energy production operationally yields diminished free radical generation, thereby offering a protective existential advantage. It has been established that energy production by the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is functionally dependent on anaerobic respiratory mechanisms within the mitochondrion. Importantly, under hypoxic conditions metabolic pathways in M. edulis have been demonstrated to synthesize and utilize amino acid adducts termed opines as chemically defined energy reserves. In addition to the utilization of opines as anaerobic metabolic intermediates by invertebrate organisms, opines were also discovered and characterized as metabolic intermediates in plant parasites, specifically crown gall tumors. A careful review of the biomedical literature indicates mechanistic similarities between anaerobically functioning mitochondria in M. edulis and crown gall tissues and metabolic processes in human tumors. The anaerobically functioning mitochondrion in M. edulis tissues is a potentially valuable high resolution model system for development of novel anticancer therapeutic agents.

Keywords

• anaerobic respiration; anaerobic mitochondria; opines; Mytilus edulis; mollusc