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MTORC1 controls mitochondrial activity and biogenesis through 4E-BP-dependent translational regulation

  • Masahiro Morita
  • , Simon Pierre Gravel
  • , Valérie Chénard
  • , Kristina Sikström
  • , Liang Zheng
  • , Tommy Alain
  • , Valentina Gandin
  • , Daina Avizonis
  • , Meztli Arguello
  • , Chadi Zakaria
  • , Shannon McLaughlan
  • , Yann Nouet
  • , Arnim Pause
  • , Michael Pollak
  • , Eyal Gottlieb
  • , Ola Larsson
  • , Julie St-Pierre
  • , Ivan Topisirovic
  • , Nahum Sonenberg

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

mRNA translation is thought to be the most energy-consuming process in the cell. Translation and energy metabolism are dysregulated in a variety of diseases including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, the mechanisms that coordinate translation and energy metabolism in mammals remain largely unknown. The mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) stimulates mRNA translation and other anabolic processes. We demonstrate that mTORC1 controls mitochondrial activity and biogenesis by selectively promoting translation of nucleus-encoded mitochondria-related mRNAs via inhibition of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding proteins (4E-BPs). Stimulating the translation of nucleus-encoded mitochondria-related mRNAs engenders an increase in ATP production capacity, a required energy source for translation. These findings establish a feed-forward loop that links mRNA translation to oxidative phosphorylation, thereby providing a key mechanism linking aberrant mTOR signaling to conditions of abnormal cellular energy metabolism such as neoplasia and insulin resistance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)698-711
Number of pages14
JournalCell Metabolism
Volume18
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 5 2013
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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