Structure, Mechanism, and Regulation of Mitochondrial DNA Transcription Initiation

Authors

• Urmimala Basu, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• Alicia M. Bostwick, Hope College
• Kalyan Das, Departement Microbiologie, Immunologie en Transplantatie
• Kristin E. Dittenhafer-Reed, Hope CollegeFollow
• Smita S. Patel, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-25-2020

Publication Source

Journal of Biological Chemistry

Volume Number

295

Issue Number

52

First Page

18406

Last Page

18425

ISSN

00219258

E-ISSN

1083351X

Abstract

Mitochondria are specialized compartments that produce requisite ATP to fuel cellular functions and serve as centers of metabolite processing, cellular signaling, and apoptosis. To accomplish these roles, mitochondria rely on the genetic information in their small genome (mitochondrial DNA) and the nucleus. A growing appreciation for mitochondria’s role in a myriad of human diseases, including inherited genetic disorders, degenerative diseases, inflammation, and cancer, has fueled the study of biochemical mechanisms that control mitochondrial function. The mitochondrial transcriptional machinery is different from nuclear machinery. The in vitro reconstituted transcriptional complexes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) and humans, aided with high-resolution structures and biochemical characterizations, have provided a deeper understanding of the mechanism and regulation of mitochondrial DNA transcription. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in the structure and mechanism of mitochondrial transcription initiation. We will follow up with recent discoveries and formative findings regarding the regulatory events that control mitochondrial DNA transcription, focusing on those involved in cross-talk between the mitochondria and nucleus.

Recommended Citation

Published in: Journal of Biological Chemistry, Volume 295, Issue 52, December 25, 2020, pages 18406-18425.