Effect of exogenous addition of hemin on the biogenesis of mitochondrial membranes during glucose repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Exogenous addition of hemin alleviated glucose repression by promoting mitochondrial membrane functions. It prevented the release of mitochondrial proteins into the cytosol by decreasing the activities of phospholipase C and phospholipase D. It restored oligomycin sensitivity of mitochondrial ATPase associated with repressed mitochondria. It enhanced cardiolipin content twofold, and decreased the sterol:phospholipid ratio. Studies on the amino acid incorporation into isolated mitochondria showed that hemin can also promote biogenesis of the organelle by stimulating amino acid incorporation into mitochondrial proteins, and this stimulation appeared to be mediated through some cytosolic factor(s).