| 1. |
- Bratic, A., et al.
(author)
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Complementation between polymerase- and exonuclease-deficient mitochondrial DNA polymerase mutants in genomically engineered flies
- 2015
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Replication errors are the main cause of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and a compelling approach to decrease mutation levels would therefore be to increase the fidelity of the catalytic subunit (POLγA) of the mtDNA polymerase. Here we genomically engineer the tamas locus, encoding fly POLγA, and introduce alleles expressing exonuclease- (exo-) and polymerase-deficient (pol-) POLγA versions. The exo- mutant leads to accumulation of point mutations and linear deletions of mtDNA, whereas pol- mutants cause mtDNA depletion. The mutant tamas alleles are developmentally lethal but can complement each other in trans resulting in viable flies with clonally expanded mtDNA mutations. Reconstitution of human mtDNA replication in vitro confirms that replication is a highly dynamic process where POLγA goes on and off the template to allow complementation during proofreading and elongation. The created fly models are valuable tools to study germ line transmission of mtDNA and the pathophysiology of POLγA mutation disease. © 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Darin, Niklas, 1964, et al.
(author)
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Functional analysis of a novel POL gamma A mutation associated with a severe perinatal mitochondrial encephalomyopathy
- 2021
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In: Neuromuscular Disorders. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-8966. ; 31:4, s. 348-358
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma catalytic subunit (POL. A) compromise the stability of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by leading to mutations, deletions and depletions in mtDNA. Patients with mutations in POL gamma A often differ remarkably in disease severity and age of onset. In this work we have studied the functional consequence of POL gamma A mutations in a patient with an uncommon and a very severe disease phenotype characterized by prenatal onset with intrauterine growth restriction, lactic acidosis from birth, encephalopathy, hepatopathy, myopathy, and early death. Muscle biopsy identified scattered COX-deficient muscle fibers, respiratory chain dysfunction and mtDNA depletion. We identified a novel POL.A mutation (p.His1134Tyr) in trans with the previously identified p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu double mutant. Biochemical characterization of the purified recombinant POL gamma A variants showed that the p.His1134Tyr mutation caused severe polymerase dysfunction. The p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu mutation caused reduced polymerase function in conditions of low dNTP concentration that mimic postmitotic tissues. Critically, when p.His1134Tyr and p.Thr251Ile/Pro587Leu were combined under these conditions, mtDNA replication was severely diminished and featured prominent stalling. Our data provide a molecular explanation for the patients mtDNA depletion and clinical features, particularly in tissues such as brain and muscle that have low dNTP concentration. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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| 3. |
- Macao, Bertil, 1969, et al.
(author)
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The exonuclease activity of DNA polymerase gamma is required for ligation during mitochondrial DNA replication
- 2015
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase gamma (POL gamma) harbours a 3'-5' exonuclease proofreading activity. Here we demonstrate that this activity is required for the creation of ligatable ends during mtDNA replication. Exonuclease-deficient POL gamma fails to pause on reaching a downstream 5'-end. Instead, the enzyme continues to polymerize into double-stranded DNA, creating an unligatable 5'-flap. Disease-associated mutations can both increase and decrease exonuclease activity and consequently impair DNA ligation. In mice, inactivation of the exonuclease activity causes an increase in mtDNA mutations and premature ageing phenotypes. These mutator mice also contain high levels of truncated, linear fragments of mtDNA. We demonstrate that the formation of these fragments is due to impaired ligation, causing nicks near the origin of heavy-strand DNA replication. In the subsequent round of replication, the nicks lead to double-strand breaks and linear fragment formation.
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| 4. |
- Peter, Bradley, et al.
(author)
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Defective mitochondrial protease LonP1 can cause classical mitochondrial disease
- 2018
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 27:10, s. 1743-1753
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- LonP1 is a mitochondrial matrix protease whose selective substrate specificity is essential for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. Recessively inherited, pathogenic defects in LonP1 have been previously reported to underlie cerebral, ocular, dental, auricular and skeletal anomalies (CODAS) syndrome, a complex multisystemic and developmental disorder. Intriguingly, although classical mitochondrial disease presentations are well-known to exhibit marked clinical heterogeneity, the skeletal and dental features associated with CODAS syndrome are pathognomonic. We have applied whole exome sequencing to a patient with congenital lactic acidosis, muscle weakness, profound deficiencies in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation associated with loss of mtDNA copy number and MRI abnormalities consistent with Leigh syndrome, identifying biallelic variants in the LONP1 (NM_004793.3) gene; c.1693T > C predicting p.(Tyr565His) and c.2197G > A predicting p.(Glu733Lys); no evidence of the classical skeletal or dental defects observed in CODAS syndrome patients were noted in our patient. In vitro experiments confirmed the p.(Tyr565His) LonP1 mutant alone could not bind or degrade a substrate, consistent with the predicted function of Tyr565, whilst a second missense [p.(Glu733Lys)] variant had minimal effect. Mixtures of p.(Tyr565His) mutant and wild-type LonP1 retained partial protease activity but this was severely depleted when the p.(Tyr565His) mutant was mixed with the p.(Glu733Lys) mutant, data consistent with the compound heterozygosity detected in our patient. In summary, we conclude that pathogenic LONP1 variants can lead to a classical mitochondrial disease presentations associated with severe biochemical defects in oxidative phosphorylation in clinically relevant tissues.
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| 5. |
- Siibak, Triinu, et al.
(author)
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A multi-systemic mitochondrial disorder due to a dominant p.Y955H disease variant in DNA polymerase gamma
- 2017
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 26:13, s. 2515-2525
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA polymerase, POLG, are associated with a variety of clinical presentations, ranging from early onset fatal brain disease in Alpers syndrome to chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. The majority of mutations are linked with disturbances of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity and maintenance. On a molecular level, depending on their location within the enzyme, mutations either lead to mtDNA depletion or the accumulation of multiple mtDNA deletions, and in some cases these molecular changes can be correlated to the clinical presentation. We identified a patient with a dominant p.Y955H mutation in POLG, presenting with a severe, early-onset multi-systemic mitochondrial disease with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, cataract, myopathy, and liver failure. Using a combination of disease models of Drosophila melanogaster and in vitro biochemistry analysis, we compare the molecular consequences of the p.Y955H mutation to the well-documented p.Y955C mutation. We demonstrate that both mutations affect mtDNA replication and display a dominant negative effect, with the p.Y955H allele resulting in a more severe polymerase dysfunction.
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