Development of Real-time PCR Kit for Detection and Quantitation of Six Common Mutations A3243G, G3380A, A8344G, T8993G, T8993C, G11778A of Human Mitochondrial Genome

A procedure for production of a real-time PCR kit for detection and quantitation of 6 common mitochondrial genome mutations including A3243G, G3380A, A8344G, T8993G, T8993C, G11778A using fluorescent locked nucleic acid (LNA) Taqman probes was reported. The procedure consists of designing of specific primers and LNA probes, selection of master mixture components and real-time PCR thermal conditions. The produced kit had specificity of 100% and sensitivity ≥ 1% and remained fully active after 7 days of storage at 25 oC or 20 days at 4 oC or 6 months at -20 oC. The kit was used to analyze A3243G, G3380A, A8344G, T8993G, T8993C, G11778A mutations from 69 patients tentatively diagnosed with mitochondrial diseases and 3 cases of A3243G carriers (4.34%) was found. In these cases, the A3243G mutation was heteroplasmic, maternally inherited, and the heteroplasmy level was shown to be related to the symptome expression.tome expression.

Novel Mutations in the GTPBP3 Gene for Mitochondrial Disease and Characteristics of Related Phenotypic Spectrum: The First Three Cases From China

Combined Oxidative Phosphorylation Deficiency 23 (COXPD23) caused by mutations in GTPBP3 gene is a rare mitochondrial disease, and this disorder identified from the Chinese population has not been described thus far. Here, we report a case series of three patients with COXPD23 caused by GTPBP3 mutations, from a severe to a mild phenotype. The main clinical features of these patients include lactic acidosis, myocardial damage, and neurologic symptoms. Whole genome sequencing and targeted panels of candidate human mitochondrial genome revealed that patient 1 was a compound heterozygote with novel mutations c.413C > T (p. A138V) and c.509_510del (p. E170Gfs∗42) in GTPBP3. Patient 2 was a compound heterozygote with novel mutations c.544G > T (p. G182X) and c.785A > C (p.Q262P), while patient 3 was a compound heterozygote with a previously reported mutation c.424G > A (p.E142K) and novel mutation c.785A > C (p.Q262P). In conclusion, we first describe three Chinese individuals with COXPD23, and discuss the genotype-phenotype correlations of GTPBP3 mutations. Our findings provide novel information in the diagnosis and genetic counseling of patients with mitochondrial disease.

Bi-phasic dynamics of the mitochondrial DNA mutation m.3243A>G in blood: An unbiased, mutation level-dependent model implies positive selection in the germline.

The A-to-G point mutation at position 3243 in the human mitochondrial genome (m.3243A>G) is the most common pathogenic mtDNA variant responsible for disease in humans. It is widely accepted that m.3243A>G levels decrease in blood with age, and correction representing ~2% annual decline is often applied to account for this change in mutation level. Here we report that recent data indicate the dynamics of m.3243A>G are far more complex and depend on the blood mutation level in a bi-phasic way. As a consequence, the traditional 2% correction, which is adequate on 'average', creates opposite predictive biases at high and low mutation levels. Thus, overall accuracy of traditional correction depends on the proportion of individuals with high and low mutant levels in the dataset. Unbiased age correction is needed to circumvent these drawbacks of the standard model. We propose to abolish both biases by using an approach where correction depends on mutation level in biphasic way, to account for the biphasic dynamics of m.3243A>G in blood. The significance of removing bias was further tested using germline selection as a model, in which we detected mutation patterns consistent with the possibility of positive selection for m.3243A>G. We conclude that use of bi-phasic approach will greatly improve the predictive accuracy of modeling data for changes in mtDNA mutations in the germline and in somatic cells during aging.

MitImpact 3: modeling the residue interaction network of the Respiratory Chain subunits

Numerous lines of evidence have shown that the interaction between the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes ensures the efficient functioning of the OXPHOS complexes, with substantial implications in bioenergetics, adaptation, and disease. Their interaction is a fascinating and complex trait of the eukaryotic cell that MitImpact explores with its third major release. MitImpact expands its collection of genomic, clinical, and functional annotations of all non-synonymous substitutions of the human mitochondrial genome with new information on putative Compensated Pathogenic Deviations and co-varying amino acid sites of the Respiratory Chain subunits. It further provides evidence of energetic and structural residue compensation by techniques of molecular dynamics simulation. MitImpact is freely accessible at http://mitimpact.css-mendel.it.

No evidence for intermolecular recombination in human fibroblast and blood mtDNA from individuals with biparental mtDNA transmission

Strictly maternal inheritance and lack of intermolecular recombination of the human mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) are the assumed preconditions for molecular evolution studies, phylogenetic reconstruction and population genetic analyses. This hypothesis, however, has been challenged by investigations providing evidence for genetic recombination of mtDNA, thus sparking controversy. Using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology, we sequenced the entire mtDNA from blood and fibroblast cells from five individuals with biparental mtDNA transmission in three separate, multiple-generation families. After phasing the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes of mtDNA, no intermolecular recombination between paternal and maternal mtDNA was found when the mtDNA was transmitted in either biparental or maternal mode. Our study provides support for the argument that intermolecular mtDNA recombination is absent or extremely rare in humans. As a consequence, these results support the feasibility of mtDNA-based molecular evolution studies and phylogenetic and population genetic analyses for humans, while also avoiding inaccurate phylogenetic inferences and incorrect rejection of the molecular clock.

A Novel Color Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Hyperchaotic Maps and Mitochondrial DNA Sequences

Multimedia encryption innovation is one of the primary ways of securely and privately guaranteeing the security of media transmission. There are many advantages when utilizing the attributes of chaos, for example, arbitrariness, consistency, ergodicity, and initial condition affectability, for any covert multimedia transmission. Additionally, many more benefits can be introduced with the exceptional space compliance, unique information, and processing capability of real mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA). In this article, color image encryption employs a confusion process based on a hybrid chaotic map, first to split each channel of color images into n-clusters; then to create global shuffling over the whole image; and finally, to apply intrapixel shuffling in each cluster, which results in very disordered pixels in the encrypted image. Then, it utilizes the rationale of human mitochondrial genome mtDNA to diffuse the previously confused pixel values. Hypothetical examination and trial results demonstrate that the anticipated scheme exhibits outstanding encryption, as well as successfully opposes chosen/known plain text, statistical, and differential attacks.

Mitochondrial Gene Expression and Beyond—Novel Aspects of Cellular Physiology

Mitochondria are peculiar organelles whose proper function depends on the crosstalk between two genomes, mitochondrial and nuclear. The human mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) encodes only 13 proteins; nevertheless, its proper expression is essential for cellular homeostasis, as mtDNA-encoded proteins are constituents of mitochondrial respiratory complexes. In addition, mtDNA expression results in the production of RNA molecules, which influence cell physiology once released from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm. As a result, dysfunctions of mtDNA expression may lead to pathologies in humans. Here, we review the mechanisms of mitochondrial gene expression with a focus on recent findings in the field. We summarize the complex turnover of mitochondrial transcripts and present an increasing body of evidence indicating new functions of mitochondrial transcripts. We discuss mitochondrial gene regulation in different cellular contexts, focusing on stress conditions. Finally, we highlight the importance of emerging aspects of mitochondrial gene regulation in human health and disease.

A simple method for sequencing the whole human mitochondrial genome directly from samples and its application to genetic testing

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a revolutionary sequencing technology for analyzing genomes. However, preprocessing methods for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing remain complex, and it is required to develop an authenticated preprocessing method. Here, we developed a simple and easy preprocessing method based on isothermal rolling circle mtDNA amplification using commercially available reagents. Isothermal amplification of mtDNA was successfully performed using both nanoliter quantities of plasma directly and 25 ng of total DNA extracted from blood or tissue samples. Prior to mtDNA amplification, it was necessary to treat the extracted total DNA with Exonuclease V, but it was not required to treat plasma. The NGS libraries generated from the amplified mtDNA provided sequencing coverage of the entire human mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, the sequencing results successfully detected heteroplasmy in patient samples, with called mutations and variants matching those from previous, independent, Sanger sequencing analysis. Additionally, a novel single nucleotide variant was detected in a healthy volunteer. The successful analysis of mtDNA using very small samples from patients is likely to be valuable in clinical medicine, as it could reduce patient discomfort by reducing sampling-associated damage to tissues. Overall, the simple and convenient preprocessing method described herein may facilitate the future development of NGS-based clinical and forensic mtDNA tests.