Cells lacking Rieske iron-sulfur protein have a reactive oxygen species-associated decrease in respiratory complexes I and IV.

Mitochondrial respiratory complexes of the electron transport chain (CI, CIII, and CIV) can be assembled into larger structures forming supercomplexes. We analyzed the assembly/stability of respiratory complexes in mouse lung fibroblasts lacking the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (RISP knockout [KO]cells), one of the catalytic subunits of CIII. In the absence of RISP, most of the remaining CIII subunits were able to assemble into a large precomplex that lacked enzymatic activity. CI, CIV, and supercomplexes were decreased in the RISP-deficient cells. Reintroduction of RISP into KO cells restored CIII activity and increased the levels of active CI, CIV, and supercomplexes. We found that hypoxia (1% O(2)) resulted in increased levels of CI, CIV, and supercomplex assembly in RISP KO cells. In addition, treatment of control cells with different oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibitors showed that compounds known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) (e.g., antimycin A and oligomycin) had a negative impact on CI and supercomplex levels. Accordingly, a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic compound and SOD2 overexpression provided a partial increase in supercomplex levels in the RISP KO cells. Our data suggest that the stability of CI, CIV, and supercomplexes is regulated by ROS in the context of defective oxidative phosphorylation.