Identification of an ATP-sensitive potassium channel in mitochondria

Mitochondria provide chemical energy for endoergonic reactions in the form of ATP, and their activity must meet cellular energy requirements, but the mechanisms that link organelle performance to ATP levels are poorly understood. Here we confirm the existence of a protein complex localized in mitochondria that mediates ATP-dependent potassium currents (that is, mitoKATP). We show that—similar to their plasma membrane counterparts—mitoKATP channels are composed of pore-forming and ATP-binding subunits, which we term MITOK and MITOSUR, respectively. In vitro reconstitution of MITOK together with MITOSUR recapitulates the main properties of mitoKATP. Overexpression of MITOK triggers marked organelle swelling, whereas the genetic ablation of this subunit causes instability in the mitochondrial membrane potential, widening of the intracristal space and decreased oxidative phosphorylation. In a mouse model, the loss of MITOK suppresses the cardioprotection that is elicited by pharmacological preconditioning induced by diazoxide. Our results indicate that mitoKATP channels respond to the cellular energetic status by regulating organelle volume and function, and thereby have a key role in mitochondrial physiology and potential effects on several pathological processes. The pore-forming and ATP-binding subunits of a mitochondrial protein complex that mediates ATP-dependent potassium currents are identified and characterized, revealing the role of this channel in mitochondrial physiology and pathologies.