Very low-level heteroplasmy mtDNA variations are inherited in humans.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Guo Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4149221 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:mtDNA is present in multiple copies in each cell derived from the expansions of those in the oocyte. Heteroplasmy, more than one mtDNA variant, may be generated by mutagenesis, paternal mtDNA leakage, and novel medical technologies aiming to prevent inheritance of mtDNA-linked diseases. Heteroplasmy phenotypic impact remains poorly understood. Mouse studies led to contradictory models of random drift or haplotype selection for mother-to-offspring transmission of mtDNA heteroplasmy. Here, we show that mtDNA heteroplasmy affects embryo metabolism, cell fitness, and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation. Thus, genetic and pharmacological interventions affecting oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) modify competition among mtDNA haplotypes during oocyte development and/or at early embryonic stages. We show that heteroplasmy behavior can fall on a spectrum from random drift to strong selection, depending on mito-nuclear interactions and metabolic factors. Understanding heteroplasmy dynamics and its mechanisms provide novel knowledge of a fundamental biological process and enhance our ability to mitigate risks in clinical applications affecting mtDNA transmission.
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Project description:Length heteroplasmy (LH) in mitochondrial (mt)DNA is usually observed in homopolymeric tracts and manifest as mixture of various length variants. The generally used difference-coded annotation to report mtDNA haplotypes does not express the degree of LH variation present in a sample, even more so, it is sometimes difficult to establish which length variants are present and clearly distinguishable from background noise. It has therefore become routine practice for some researchers to call the dominant type, the "major molecule", which represents the LH variant that is most abundant in a DNA extract. In the majority of cases a clear single dominant variant can be identified. However, in some samples this interpretation is difficult, i.e. when (almost) equally quantitative LH variants are present or when multiple sequencing primers result in the presentation of different dominant types. To better understand those cases we designed amplicon sizing assays for the five most relevant LH regions in the mtDNA control region (around ntps 16,189, 310, 460, 573, and the AC-repeat between 514 and 524) to determine the ratio of the LH variants by fluorescence based amplicon sizing assays. For difficult LH constellations derived by Sanger sequencing (with Big Dye terminators) these assays mostly gave clear and unambiguous results. In the vast majority of cases we found agreement between the results of the sequence and amplicon analyses and propose this alternative method in difficult cases.
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2016-05-07 | GSE81178 | GEO