Project description:The NKX3.1 homeobox gene functions in mitochondria to regulate oxidative stress To investigate the role of NKX3.1 in regulation of oxidative stress, we employed transcriptome analysis of mouse prostate ( from 4 month old Nkx3.1+/+ and Nkx3.1-/- mice treated with paraquat), and human prostate cells ( RWPE1 cells engineered with empty vector (altered pTRIPZ), NKX3.1 wild type over-expression, and NKX3.1 (R52C) over-expression treated with paraquat). Mouse tissue or human cells were snap frozen for subsequent molecular analysis.
Project description:The NKX3.1 homeobox gene functions in mitochondria to regulate oxidative stress To investigate the role of NKX3.1 in regulation of oxidative stress, we employed transcriptome analysis of mouse prostate ( from 4 month old Nkx3.1+/+ and Nkx3.1-/- mice treated with paraquat), and human prostate cells ( RWPE1 cells engineered with empty vector (altered pTRIPZ), NKX3.1 wild type over-expression, and NKX3.1 (R52C) over-expression treated with paraquat). Mouse tissue or human cells were snap frozen for subsequent molecular analysis.
Project description:Mitochondria provide the first line of defense against the tumor-promoting effects of oxidative stress. Here we show that the prostate-specific homeoprotein NKX3.1 suppresses prostate cancer initiation by protecting mitochondria from oxidative stress. Integrating analyses of genetically engineered mouse models, human prostate cancer cells, and human prostate cancer organotypic cultures, we find that, in response to oxidative stress, NKX3.1 is imported to mitochondria via the chaperone protein HSPA9, where it regulates transcription of mitochondrial-encoded electron transport chain (ETC) genes, thereby restoring oxidative phosphorylation and preventing cancer initiation. Germline polymorphisms of NKX3.1 associated with increased cancer risk fail to protect from oxidative stress or suppress tumorigenicity. Low expression levels of NKX3.1 combined with low expression of mitochondrial ETC genes are associated with adverse clinical outcome, whereas high levels of mitochondrial NKX3.1 protein are associated with favorable outcome. This work reveals an extranuclear role for NKX3.1 in suppression of prostate cancer by protecting mitochondrial function. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings uncover a nonnuclear function for NKX3.1 that is a key mechanism for suppression of prostate cancer. Analyses of the expression levels and subcellular localization of NKX3.1 in patients at risk of cancer progression may improve risk assessment in a precision prevention paradigm, particularly for men undergoing active surveillance.See related commentary by Finch and Baena, p. 2132.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 2113.
Project description:Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication is first initiated at the origin of H-strand replication. The initiation depends on RNA primers generated by transcription from an upstream promoter (LSP). Here we reconstitute this process in vitro using purified transcription and replication factors. The majority of all transcription events from LSP are prematurely terminated after 120 nucleotides, forming stable R-loops. These nascent R-loops cannot directly prime mtDNA synthesis, but must first be processed by RNase H1 to generate 3-ends that can be used by DNA polymerase to initiate DNA synthesis. Our findings are consistent with recent studies of a knockout mouse model, which demonstrated that RNase H1 is required for R-loop processing and mtDNA maintenance in vivo. Both R-loop formation and DNA replication initiation are stimulated by the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein. In an RNase H1 deficient patient cell line, the precise initiation of mtDNA replication is lost and DNA synthesis is initiated from multiple sites throughout the mitochondrial control region. In combination with previously published in vivo data, the findings presented here suggests a model, in which R-loop processing by RNase H1 directs origin-specific initiation of DNA replication in human mitochondria.
Project description:Current evidence suggests that nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins can be locally translated at the mitochondrial surface and co-translationally or post-translationally imported into mitochondria. mRNA localization on the mitochondrial membrane, a prerequisite for localized translation, remains uncharacterized in higher eukaryotic organisms. We employed fractionation-sequencing to profile mitochondria-associated mRNAs in zebrafish larvae. Our transcriptome-wide analysis reveals the localization of mRNAs of only 12% of the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins to the mitochondrial surface, which suggests that post-translational import is the dominant mode of protein import to mitochondria. Additionally, the mRNAs which were localized to the mitochondrial membrane consisted mostly of those encoding proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics, suggesting their site-specific translation. Finally, we show that the loss of function of the MIA pathway responsible for the post-translational import of a subclass of mitochondrial proteins, triggers mitochondrial localization of mRNAs encoding proteins that are imported to mitochondria via other pathways. Thus, our study suggests that mRNA targeting and localized translation could be relevant in higher eukaryotes to combat stress conditions affecting mitochondrial biogenesis in general.
Project description:Mitochondria are central to cellular function, particularly in metabolically active tissues such as skeletal muscle. Nuclear-encoded RNAs typically localise within the nucleus and cytosol but a small population may also translocate to subcellular compartments such as mitochondria. We aimed to investigate the nuclear-encoded RNAs that localise within the mitochondria of skeletal muscle tissue. Intact mitochondria were isolated via immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by enzymatic treatments (RNase-A and proteinase-K) optimised to remove transcripts located exterior to mitochondria, making it amenable for high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing. Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing of enzymatically-purified mitochondria isolated by IP from skeletal muscle tissue showed a high degree of purity. In summary, we describe a novel, powerful sequencing approach applicable to animal and human tissues and cells that can facilitate the discovery of nuclear-encoded RNA transcripts localised within skeletal muscle mitochondria.
Project description:Mitochondria are central to cellular function, particularly in metabolically active tissues such as skeletal muscle. Nuclear-encoded RNAs typically localise within the nucleus and cytosol but a small population may also translocate to subcellular compartments such as mitochondria. We aimed to investigate the nuclear-encoded RNAs that localise within the mitochondria of skeletal muscle cells and tissue. Intact mitochondria were isolated via immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by enzymatic treatments (RNase-A and proteinase-K) to remove transcripts located exterior to mitochondria, making it amenable for high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing. Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing of enzymatically-purified mitochondria isolated by IP from skeletal muscle tissue showed a striking similarity in the degree of purity compared to mitoplast preparations which lack an outer mitochondrial membrane. In summary, we describe a novel, powerful sequencing approach applicable to animal and human tissues and cells that can facilitate the discovery of nuclear-encoded RNA transcripts localised within skeletal muscle mitochondria.