Measurement of Protein Import Capacity of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria

Summary

Mitochondria are key metabolic organelles that exhibit a high level of phenotypic plasticity in skeletal muscle. The import of proteins from the cytosol is a critical pathway for organelle biogenesis, essential for the expansion of the reticulum and the maintenance of mitochondrial function. Therefore, protein import serves as a barometer of cellular health.

Abstract

Mitochondria are key metabolic and regulatory organelles that determine the energy supply as well as the overall health of the cell. In skeletal muscle, mitochondria exist in a series of complex morphologies, ranging from small oval organelles to a broad, reticulum-like network. Understanding how the mitochondrial reticulum expands and develops in response to diverse stimuli such as alterations in energy demand has long been a topic of research. A key aspect of this growth, or biogenesis, is the import of precursor proteins, originally encoded by the nuclear genome, synthesized in the cytosol, and translocated into various mitochondrial sub-compartments. Mitochondria have developed a sophisticated mechanism for this import process, involving many selective inner and outer membrane channels, known as the protein import machinery (PIM). Import into the mitochondrion is dependent on viable membrane potential and the availability of organelle-derived ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore its measurement can serve as a measure of organelle health. The PIM also exhibits a high level of adaptive plasticity in skeletal muscle that is tightly coupled to the energy status of the cell. For example, exercise training has been shown to increase import capacity, while muscle disuse reduces it, coincident with changes in markers of mitochondrial content. Although protein import is a critical step in the biogenesis and expansion of mitochondria, the process is not widely studied in skeletal muscle. Thus, this paper outlines how to use isolated and fully functional mitochondria from skeletal muscle to measure protein import capacity in order to promote a greater understanding of the methods involved and an appreciation of the importance of the pathway for organelle turnover in exercise, health, and disease.

Introduction

Mitochondria are organelles that exist in complex morphologies in different cell types and are recognized to possess an increasing array of functions that are critical for cellular health. As such, they can no longer be whittled down merely to energy-producing organelles. Mitochondria are key metabolic regulators, determinants of cell fate, and signaling hubs, the functions of which can serve as useful indicators of overall cellular health. In skeletal muscle cells, electron microscopy studies reveal the presence of geographically distinct subsarcolemmal (SS) and intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondria, which exhibit a degree of connectivity^1....

Protocol

All animals used in these experiments are maintained in the animal care facility at York University. The experiments are conducted in accordance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines with approval from the York University Animal Care Committee (Permit: 2017-08).

1. Functional isolation of subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondria from skeletal muscle

1. Reagent preparation:
   1. Prepare all the buffers and media as mentioned in Table 1.

Discussion

Mitochondria are uniquely dependent on the expression and coordination of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes for their synthesis and expansion within cells. However, the nuclear genome encodes the vast majority (99%) of the mitochondrial proteome, and this underscores the importance of the protein import machinery in supporting mitochondrial biogenesis. Import also serves as an important signaling event, as failure to import can promote the initiation of the unfolded protein response and/or mitophagy

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.2% BSA	Sigma	A2153
35S-methionine	Perkin Elmer	NEG709A500UC	Purchase requires a valid radioisotope permit
ATP	Sigma	A7699
Blotting paper; Whatman 3MM CHR Paper	Thermo Fisher	05-714-5
Cassette for film	Kodak	Kodak Xomatic
Centrifugation Tube	Thermo Fisher	3138-0050
Chloroform	Thermo Fisher	C298-4
DTT	Sigma	D9779-5G
EDTA	BioShop	EDT002
EGTA	Sigma	E4378
Gel Dryer	BioRad	Model 583
Gel Drying Kit	Sigma or BioRad	Z377570-1PAK or OW-GDF-10	Various options are commercially available through many companies, these are just as few examples.
Glycerol	Caledon Laboratory Chemicals	5350-1-40
HEPES	Sigma	H3375
High Speed Centrifuge	Beckman Coulter	Avanti J-25 Centrifuge
Homogenizer	IKA	T25 Digital Ultra Turrex
Isoamylalcohol, or 3-methylbutanol	Sigma	I9392
KAc	BioShop	POA301.500
KCl	Sigma	P3911
M7G	New England Biolab	S1404S	Dilute with 1000ul 20mM HEPES to make 1mM stock
MgCl	BioShop	MAG510
MgSO4	Thermo Fisher	M65-500
MOPS	BioShop	MOP001
NaCl	BioShop	SOD001
NTP	Thermo Fisher	R0191
OCT Plasmid	-	-	Donated from Dr. G. C. Shore, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; alternative available through Addgene, plasmid #71877
pGEM4Z/hTom40 Plasmid	-	-	Donated from Dr. M. T. Ryan, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
pGMDH Plasmid	-	-	Donated from Dr. A. Strauss, Washington University School of Medicine
Phenol	Sigma	P4557
Phenol:Chloroform:Isoamyalcohol	Sigma	P3803	Can also be made with the ratio provided
Phosphorus Film	Fujifilm	BAS-IP MS 2025
Rabbit reticulocyte lysate	Promega	L4960	Avoid freeze-thaw; aliquot lysate upon arrival; amino acids are provided in the kit as well
RNAsin	Promega	N2311
Rotor for High Speed Centrifuge	Beckman Coulter	JA-25.50
SDS	BioShop	SDS001.500	Caution: harmful if ingested or inhaled, wear a mask.
Sodium acetate	Bioshop	SAA 304
Sodium Carbonate	VWR	BDH9284
Sodium salicylate	Millipore Sigma	106601
Sorbitol	Sigma	S6021
SP6 RNA Polymerase	Promega	P1085
Spectrophotometer	Thermo Fisher	Nanodrop 2000
Spermidine	Sigma	S-2626
Sucrose	BioShop	SUC507
T7 RNA Polymerase	Promega	P2075
Tabletop Centrifuge	Thermo Fisher	AccuSpin Micro 17
Trichloroacetic acid	Thermo Fisher	A322-500
Tris	BioShop	TRS001
β-mercaptoethanol	Sigma	M6250-100ML