DNA replication by a membrane-DNA complex from rat liver mitochondria

Mitochondria, oxidative DNA damage, and aging

Protection from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and from mitochondrial oxidative damage is well known to be necessary to longevity. The relevance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to aging is suggested by the fact that the two most commonly measured forms of mtDNA damage, deletions and the oxidatively induced lesion 8-oxo-dG, increase with age. The rate of increase is species-specific and correlates with maximum lifespan. It is less clear that failure or inadequacies in the protection from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and from mitochondrial oxidative damage are sufficient to explain senescence. DNA containing 8-oxo-dG is repaired by mitochondria, and the high ratio of mitochondrial to nuclear levels of 8-oxo-dG previously reported are now suspected to be due to methodological difficulties. Furthermore, MnSOD -/+ mice incur higher than wild type levels of oxidative damage, but do not display an aging phenotype. Together, these findings suggest that oxidative damage to mitochondria is lower than previously thought, and that higher levels can be tolerated without physiological consequence. A great deal of work remains before it will be known whether mitochondrial oxidative damage is a "clock" which controls the rate of aging. The increased level of 8-oxo-dG seen with age in isolated mitochondria needs explanation. It could be that a subset of cells lose the ability to protect or repair mitochondria, resulting in their incurring disproportionate levels of damage. Such an uneven distribution could exceed the reserve capacity of these cells and have serious physiological consequences. Measurements of damage need to focus more on distribution, both within tissues and within cells. In addition, study must be given to the incidence and repair of other DNA lesions, and to the possibility that repair varies from species to species, tissue to tissue, and young to old.

Replitase: complete machinery for DNA synthesis

Replication of nuclear DNA in eukaryotes presents a tremendous challenge, not only due to the size and complexity of the genome, but also because of the time constraint imposed by a limited duration of S phase during which the entire genome has to be duplicated accurately and only once per cell division cycle. A challenge of this magnitude can only be met by the close coupling of DNA precursor synthesis to replication. Prokaryotic systems provide evidence for multienzyme and multiprotein complexes involved in DNA precursor synthesis and DNA replication. In addition, fractionation of nuclear proteins from proliferating mammalian cells shows co-sedimentation of enzymes involved in DNA replication with those required for synthesis of deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs). Such complexes can be isolated only from cells that are in S phase, but not from cells in G(0)/G(1) phases of cell cycle. The kinetics of deoxynucleotide metabolism supporting DNA replication in intact and permeabilized cells reveals close coupling and allosteric interaction between the enzymes of dNTP synthesis and DNA replication. These interactions contribute to channeling and compartmentation of deoxynucleotides in the microvicinity of DNA replication. A multienzyme and multiprotein megacomplex with these unique properties is called "replitase." In this article, we summarize some of the relevant evidence to date that supports the concept of replitase in mammalian cells, which originated from the observations in Dr. Pardee's laboratory. In addition, we show that androgen receptor (AR), which plays a critical role in proliferation and viability of prostate cancer cells, is associated with replitase, and that identification of constituents of replitase in androgen-dependent versus androgen-independent prostate cancer cells may provide insights into androgen-regulated events that control proliferation of prostate cancer cells and potentially offer an effective strategy for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Stability and Association with the Cytomatrix of Mitochondrial DNA in Spontaneously Immortalized Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts Containing or Lacking the Intermediate Filament Protein Vimentin

To extend previous observations demonstrating differences in number, morphology, and activity of mitochondria in spontaneously immortalized vim(+) and vim(-) fibroblasts derived from wild-type and vimentin knockout mice, some structural and functional aspects of mitochondrial genome performance and integrity in both types of cells were investigated. Primary Vim(+/+) and Vim(-/-) fibroblasts, which escaped terminal differentiation by immortalization were characterized by an almost twofold lower mtDNA content in comparison to that of their primary precursor cells, whereby the average mtDNA copy number in two clones of vim(+) cells was lower by a factor of 0.6 than that in four clones of vim(-) cells. However, during serial subcultivation up to high passage numbers, the vim(+) and vim() fibroblasts increased their mtDNA copy number 1.5- and 2.5-fold, respectively. While early-passage cells of the vim(+) and vim(-) fibroblast clones differed only slightly in the ratio between mtDNA content and mitochondrial mass represented by mtHSP70 protein, after ca. 300 population doublings the average mtDNA/mtmass ratio in the vim(+) and vim() cells was increased by a factor of 2 and 4.5, respectively. During subcultivation, both types of cells acquired the fully transformed phenotype. These findings suggest that cytoskeletal vimentin filaments exert a strong influence on the mechanisms controlling mtDNA copy number during serial subcultivation of immortalized mouse embryo fibroblasts, and that vimentin deficiency causes a disproportionately enhanced mtDNA content in high-passage vim(-) fibroblasts. Such a role of vimentin filaments was supported by the stronger retention potential for mtDNA and mtDNA polymerase (gamma) detected in vim(+) fibroblasts by Triton X-100 extraction of mitochondria and agaroseembedded cells. Moreover, although the vim(+) and vim(-) fibroblasts were equally active in generating free radicals, the vim(-) cells exhibited higher levels of immunologically detectable 8-oxoG and mismatch repair proteins MSH2 and MLH1 in their mitochondria. Because in vim(-) fibroblasts only one point mutation was detected in the mtDNA D-loop control region, these cells are apparently able to efficiently remove oxidatively damaged nucleobases. On the other hand, a number of large-scale mtDNA deletions were found in high-passage vim(-) fibroblasts, but not in low-passage vim(-) cells and vim(+) cells of both low and high passage. Large mtDNA deletions were also induced in young vim(-) fibroblasts by treatment with the DNA intercalator ethidium bromide, whereas no such deletions were found after treatment of vim(+) cells. These results indicate that in immortalized vim(-) fibroblasts the mitochondrial genome is prone to large-scale rearrangements, probably due to insufficient control of mtDNA repair and recombination processes in the absence of vimentin.

Localization of mitochondrial DNA base excision repair to an inner membrane-associated particulate fraction

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contains high levels of oxidative damage relative to nuclear DNA. A full, functional DNA base excision repair (BER) pathway is present in mitochondria, to repair oxidative DNA lesions. However, little is known about the organization of this pathway within mitochondria. Here, we provide evidence that the mitochondrial BER proteins are not freely soluble, but strongly associated with an inner membrane-containing particulate fraction. Uracil DNA glycosylase, oxoguanine DNA glycosylase and DNA polymerase γ activities all co-sedimented with this particulate fraction and were not dissociated from it by detergent (0.1% or 1.0% NP40) treatment. The particulate associations of these activities were not due to their binding mtDNA, which is itself associated with the inner membrane, as they also localized to the particulate fraction of mitochondria from 143B (TK⁻) ρ⁰ cells, which lack mtDNA. However, all of the BER activities were at least partially solubilized from the particulate fraction by treatment with 150–300 mM NaCl, suggesting that electrostatic interactions are involved in the association. The biological implications of the apparent immobilization of BER proteins are discussed.

The permeability transition pore as a pathway for the release of mitochondrial DNA

This study shows that under oxidative stress DNA from liver mitochondria (mtDNA) can be released through the non-specific permeability transition pore. Pore opening was induced after the addition of Fe2+ and hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of calcium ions. Under these conditions mitochondria undergo large extent swelling, accompanied by the generation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. It was observed that mtDNA was hydrolyzed after the oxidative stress, and it is proposed that some of the fragments were released from the matrix, in such a way that approximately 12% of the total mtDNA remained in the mitochondria. The remaining genetic material was analyzed, after its extraction in an agarose gel. The fragments released were smaller that 1000 bp, by analysis in a native 8% polyacrilamide gel. The presence of cyclosporin A, that inhibited permeability transition, also inhibited mtDNA release by roughly 52%.

DNA-membrane complexes, mitochondria and aging

The results of extensive in vitro studies of DNA-lipid complexes allowed us to propose a model for the structure of such complexes and their involvement in the formation of DNA-membrane complexes (DMC). DMC seem to form the basis for such cellular structures as Bayer's junctions and nucleoid of bacteria, the nuclear pores, annulate lamellae and nucleoid of eucaryotes. The role of DMC in gene expression is discussed.Numerical density of mitochondria during cell aging correlates with the density of bacteria in batch culture. It is concluded that aging is caused by the unlimited growth of mitochondria and their subsequent degradation. The role of DMC in mitochondrial DNA damage at aging is discussed. The way of increasing the life span by controlling the density of mitochondria in a cell volume is likewise discussed. DMC formed between any two intracellular membranes can serve the basis for the membrane continuum in a cell.

Torsion-induced injury in rat testes does not affect mitochondrial respiration or the accumulation of mitochondrial mutations

Male rats were subjected to 1 h testicular torsion of the spermatic cord or 1 h torsion followed by detorsion and recovery up to 4 weeks. The extent of tissue damage was evaluated by a testicular biopsy score count and mitochondrial function. Torsion for 1 h followed by detorsion induced significant morphological damage, which became more severe with longer periods of recovery. This morphological damage could not be correlated with mitochondrial damage as assessed by measuring the 4834 bp mitochondrial DNA 'common deletion' using a quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, as measured by mitochondrial oxygen consumption using an oxygen electrode, did not vary between the treated animals and the controls. We conclude that the common mitochondrial DNA deletion and oxygen consumption are not good indicators of testicular damage induced by torsion.

Mitochondrial free radical production and aging in mammals and birds

The mitochondrial rate of oxygen radical (ROS) production is negatively correlated with maximum life span potential (MLSP) in mammals following the rate of living theory. In order to know if this relationship is more than circumstantial, homeothermic vertebrates with MLSP different from that predicted by the body size and metabolic rate of the majority of mammals (like birds and primates) must be studied. Birds are unique because they combine a high rate of basal oxygen consumption with a high MLSP. Heart, brain, and lung mitochondrial ROS production and free radical leak (percent of total electron flow directed to ROS production) are lower in three species of birds of different orders than in mammals of similar body size and metabolic rate. This suggests that the capacity to show a low rate of ROS production is a general characteristic of birds. Using substrates and inhibitors specific for different segments of the respiratory chain, the main ROS generator site (responsible for those bird-mammalian differences) in state 4 has been localized at complexes I and III in heart mitochondria and only at complex I in nonsynaptic brain mitochondria. In state 3, complex I is the only generator in both tissues. The results also suggest that the iron-sulphur centers are the ROS generators of complex I. A general mechanism that allows pigeon mitochondria to show a low rate of ROS production can be the capacity to maintain a low degree of reduction of the ROS generator site. In heart mitochondria, this is supplemented with a low rate of oxygen consumption physiologically compensated with a comparatively higher heart size. A low rate of free radical production near DNA, together with a high rate of DNA repair, can be responsible for the slow rate of accumulation of DNA damage and thus the slow aging rate of longevous animals.

Investigation of plant organellar DNAs by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

Mitochondrial (mt) DNAs from several higher-plant species (Arabidopsis thaliana, Beta vulgaris, Brassica hirta, Chenopodium album, Oenothera berteriana, Zea mays) were separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Hybridization of the separated DNA with mtDNA-specific probes revealed an identical distribution of mtDNA sequences in all cases: part of the DNA formed a smear of linear molecules migrating into the gel, the rest remained in the well. Hybridization signals in the compression zone of the gels disappeared after RNase or alkaline treatment. It was shown that the linear molecules are not products of unspecific degradation by nucleases. All plastid (pt) DNA from leaves of Nicotiana tabacum remained in the well after PFGE. Separation of linear monomers and oligomers of the chloroplast chromosomes of N. tabacum was achieved by mild DNase treatment of the well-bound DNA. DNase treatment of well-bound mtDNA, however, generated a smear of linear molecules. PtDNA from cultured cells of C. album was found after PFGE to be partly well-bound, and partly separated into linear molecules with sizes of monomeric and oligomeric chromosomes. The ease with which it was possible to detect large linear molecules of plastid DNA indicates that shearing forces alone can not explain the smear of linear molecules obtained after PFGE of mtDNA. The results are discussed in relation to the structural organization of the mt genome of higher plants.

Inhibition of mitochondrial beta-oxidation as a mechanism of hepatotoxicity

Severe and prolonged impairment of mitochondrial beta-oxidation leads to microvesicular steatosis, and, in severe forms, to liver failure, coma and death. Impairment of mitochondrial beta-oxidation may be either genetic or acquired, and different causes may add their effects to inhibit beta-oxidation severely and trigger the syndrome. Drugs and some endogenous compounds can sequester coenzyme A and/or inhibit mitochondrial beta-oxidation enzymes (aspirin, valproic acid, tetracyclines, several 2-arylpropionate anti-inflammatory drugs, amineptine and tianeptine); they may inhibit both mitochondrial beta-oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation (endogenous bile acids, amiodarone, perhexiline and diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol), or they may impair mitochondrial DNA transcription (interferon-alpha), or decrease mitochondrial DNA replication (dideoxynucleoside analogues), while other compounds (ethanol, female sex hormones) act through a combination of different mechanisms. Any investigational molecule should be screened for such effects.

Global change of gene expression at late G1/S boundary may occur in human IMR-90 diploid fibroblasts during senescence

The hallmark of cellular aging is the failure of senescent diploid cells to enter or to complete the S phase of the cell cycle. The cause for such failure may hold the key for our understanding of the molecular basis of cellular aging. We have previously shown that aging of IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts in culture is accompanied by a five to sevenfold decrease in both thymidine kinase activity and thymidine kinase mRNA level (Chang and Chen, 1988, J. Biol. Chem., 263:11431-11435). To examine whether attenuation of gene expression at G1/S boundary is unique for thymidine kinase or it may involve most, if not all, of other G1/S genes, we compared the expressions of two classes of G1/S genes in young and in old IMR-90 cells following serum stimulation. We found that the expression of all these genes, including thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), ribonucleotide reductase (PNR), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), histone H1, histone H2A + 2B, histone H3, and histone H4, was induced to high levels in young IMR-90 cells but not in old IMR-90 cells. The mRNA levels of all G1/S genes in young cells were more than tenfold higher than that in old cells 12 hr after serum stimulation. The enzymes encoded by TS and DHFR genes and dUTPase also exhibited similar age-dependent attenuation in activities. In contrast, expression of growth-related genes such as eIF-5A, c-Ha-ras, and beta-actin did not show significant differences between young and old cells after serum stimulation. Computer analysis of the promoter region of these G1/S genes revealed an Sp-1 binding site as the most common cis-element. Taken together, our results suggest that the suppression of G1/S gene expressions during senescence may be a global phenomenon and that G1/S genes may be coordinately controlled.

Transient mitochondrial transcript level decay in oxidative stressed chondrocytes

Steady-state levels of 12S rRNA and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 mRNA (ND4) mitochondrial transcripts were measured on rabbit articular chondrocyte in culture. In pseudosynchronized chondrocytes, changes of mitochondrial RNA levels were observed during the progression of the cells in the cell cycle. Oxidative stress generated by the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system (HX-XO) induced a transient decrease in the levels of both ND4 and 12S rRNA. Mitochondrial RNA levels recovered 24 h after the oxidative stress. These RNA level changes were not associated with modifications in the structure or the copy number of the mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, the decrease in the amount of the mitochondrial transcripts observed may be related to a transient inhibition of mitochondrial transcription since the treatment of cells with ethidium bromide (a mitochondrial transcription inhibitor) resulted in the same decrease in 12S rRNA level as HX-XO treatment alone.

Role of oxidative stress in Drosophila aging

We review the role that oxidative damage plays in regulating the lifespan of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Results from our laboratory show that the lifespan of Drosophila is inversely correlated to its metabolic rate. The consumption of oxygen by adult insects is related to the rate of damage induced by oxygen radicals, which are purported to be generated as by-products of respiration. Moreover, products of activated oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide and lipofuscin are higher in animals kept under conditions of increased metabolic rate. In order to understand the in vivo relationship between oxidative damage and the production of the superoxide radical, we generated transgenic strains of Drosophila melanogaster that synthesize excess levels of enzymatically active superoxide dismutase. This was accomplished by P-element transformation of Drosophila melanogaster with the bovine cDNA for CuZn superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that catalyzes the dismutation of the superoxide radical to hydrogen peroxide and water. Adult flies that express the bovine SOD in addition to native Drosophila SOD are more resistant to oxidative stresses and have a slight but significant increase in their mean lifespan. Thus, resistance to oxidative stress and lifespan of Drosophila can be manipulated by molecular genetic intervention. In addition, we have examined the ability of adult flies to respond to various environmental stresses during senescence. Resistance to oxidative stress, such as that induced by heat shock, is drastically reduced in senescent flies. This loss of resistance is correlated with the increase in protein damage generated in old flies by thermal stress and by the insufficient protection from cellular defense systems which includes the heat shock proteins as well as the oxygen radical scavenging enzymes. Collectively, results from our laboratory demonstrate that oxidative damage plays a role in governing the lifespan of Drosophila during normal metabolism and under conditions of environmental stress.

Mitochondria and ageing

This work reviews the role of mitochondria in the ageing process and summarizes pathomorphological biochemical and molecular genetic data. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of ageing are only partly understood. There is, however, increasing evidence that mitochondria are essentially involved. In various tissues of various species a decline in the respiratory chain capacity is seen with ageing. Enzyme histochemistry of cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV of the respiratory chain) has revealed an age-related increase of randomly distributed defective fibres/cells in the skeletal and heart muscle the random pattern probably indicating cellular heterogeneity of the ageing process. Observed deletions of mitochondrial DNA during ageing may represent one causative factor. Similar to primary mitochondrial myopathies point mutations and depletion of the mtDNA are probably also involved. There is some evidence that damage of the mitochondrial genome and of other mitochondrial structures might be due to increased oxygen radical production during ageing. The role of nuclear influences on the degeneration of mitochondrial function remains, however, also to be determined. Nevertheless, the decline of respiratory chain function with ageing represents an important factor for the decline of functional organ reserve capacity in senescence.

Hyperoxia-induced clonogenic killing of HeLa cells associated with respiratory failure and selective inactivation of Krebs cycle enzymes

Cellular intoxication by elevated concentrations of O2 may be considered as a model for accelerated cellular aging processes resulting from excessive free radical production by normal metabolic pathways. We describe here that exposure of HeLa cell cultures to 80% O2 for 2 days causes progressive growth inhibition and loss of reproductive capacity. This intoxication was correlated with inhibition of cellular O2 consumption and inactivation of 3 mitochondrial flavoproteins, i.e., partial inactivation of NADH and succinate dehydrogenases and total inactivation of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. As alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase controls the influx of glutamine/glutamate into the Krebs cycle, which is the major pathway for oxidative ATP generation in HeLa cells, the inactivation of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase was expectedly correlated with a net fall in glutamine/glutamate utilization. Furthermore, a simultaneous increase in glucose consumption and lactate production was observed, indicating that the cellular response to respiratory failure is to generate more ATP from glycolysis. In spite of this response, extensive depletion of ATP was observed. Thus, hyperoxia-induced growth inhibition and loss of clonogenicity seem to be due primarily to an impairment of mitochondrial energy metabolism resulting from inactivation of SH-group-containing flavoprotein enzymes localized at or near the inner mitochondrial membrane. These observations may be relevant for theories implicating loss of mitochondrial function as a prime factor in the aging process.

Isolation and characterization of a membrane-DNA complex in the mitochondria of Physarum polycephalum

A membrane-DNA complex was isolated by centrifugation of sheared lysate of isolated mitochondria in 20-60% sucrose step solution. Analyses using Hoechst 33258/CsCl density gradient centrifugation and restriction endonuclease treatment showed that DNA in the membrane-DNA complex was AT-rich compared with total mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) and contained Eco RI fragments of E-4, 5 and 8, which were localized on the right hand of Physarum mitochondrial genome. Phenethyl alcohol (PEA) and ethidium bromide (EB) could disrupt the membrane-DNA complex to release DNA fragments from their complex in vitro. Addition of 0.5% or more PEA, which released 80-90% of the DNA from the membrane-DNA complex in vitro, inhibited not only mitochondrial nuclear division but also mitochondrial division in vivo. EB treatment at more than 1 mg/ml disrupted the membrane-DNA complex in vitro to release 77% of the total DNA in the complex. Addition of 10 micrograms/ml EB induced unequal mitochondrial nuclear division in the microplasmodia, e.g., a dividing dumbbell-shaped mitochondrion had the mt-nucleus in one side and as a result formed then one nucleated and one enucleated mitochondrion. From the EB-pretreated mitochondria, a lesser amount of the membrane-DNA complex was isolated than from the control. These findings mean than the unequal mt-nuclear division is due to dissociation of DNA and the membrane system in the membrane-DNA complex. They strongly suggested that the DNA region (E-4, 5 and 8), where the mitochondrial nucleus is associated with the mitochondrial membrane system plays an important role in mitochondrial nuclear division.

Adventitious binding of 3H-labeled nucleotides to protein during polymerase assays

The results of these studies demonstrate that 3H-labeled nucleotides and nucleosides are capable of binding to proteins such as bovine serum albumin or bulk proteins of cytoplasmic extracts in a time-, temperature- and concentration-dependent manner when incubated in phosphate buffer or under conditions for the assay of DNA polymerases. The binding of the labeled nucleotide to the protein is stable to washing with 10% cold trichloroacetic acid/1% sodium pyrophosphate and 95% ethanol. The radioactivity bound to the protein is rendered acid-soluble by treatment with pronase. Such non-specific binding can be a significant source of artifactual labeling in DNA or RNA polymerase assays.

Multienzyme complex for metabolic channeling in mammalian DNA replication

In the DNA-synthesizing phase (S phase) of CHEF/18 Chinese hamster embryo fibroblast cells, six enzymes associated with DNA metabolism, including DNA polymerase (deoxynucleoside triphosphate:DNA deoxynucleotidyl-transferase, EC 2.7.7.7), were largely localized in the nuclear region (karyoplasts). By contrast, in quiescent and G1 phase cells these enzymatic activites were mainly absent from the nucleus and were recovered in the cytoplasmic portion (cytoplasts). These nuclear (but not cytoplasmic) enzymatic activities cosedimented rapidly on sucrose density gradients. Further, the rapidly sedimenting enzyme activities were unique to cells in S phase. An organized supramolecular structure that allows channeling of metabolites into DNA was demonstrated by kinetics of nucleotide incorporation. "Permeabilized" cells selectively channeled incorporation of ribonucleoside diphosphates into DNA in preference to deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate incorporation occurred when ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase (2'-deoxyribonucleoside-diphosphate: oxidized-thioredoxin 2'-oxidoreductase, EC 1.17.4.1) activity was abolished by hydroxyurea. Our interpretation is that during DNA replication, the nucleus contains a complex of DNA precursor-synthesizing enzymes juxtaposed with the "replication apparatus" comprising DNA polymerase, other enzymes, and structural proteins. Functional integrity of this structure is impaired when one of its essential components is inactivated. We propose the name "replitase" for this multienzyme complex for DNA replication and suggest that it incorporates precursors rapidly and efficiently. Possibly its assembly signals the initiation of the S phase of the cell cycle.

Escherichia coli mut T1. II. Consequences of modification on the association of DNA with the cell membrane

1. Two isogenic strains of Escherichia coli, K-12 which differ by mutator gene character (mut T1) have been studied. This characteristic caused introduction of a high frequency of undirectional transversions, A-T leads to -CG, into the DNA of the strain harboring it. 2. It had been previously shown that the presence of this gene is accompanied by an alteration of a cell membrane component. Now, the nuclease susceptibility of DNA associated with membrane/DNA/DNA polymerase complexes is reported. DNA of mut T1 membranes is more sensitive towards exogenous nuclease than DNA of membrane complexes from the wild type mut+ strain. 3. Auto-digestion of this DNA by endogenous nuclease associated with the membrane complex is, also, more severe in preparations derived from mut T1 than from the wild-type strain, mut+, but to a lesser extent than observed with exogenous nucleases. 4. Nuclease susceptibility of mut+ membrane bound DNA is markedly influenced by the growth state of the cell. The nuclease susceptibility of membrane bound DNA from mut T1 cells, however, shows no differences between stationary and log states. 5. These differential sensitivities may be due to conformational changes in the membrane introduced as a pleiotrophic consequence of an altered membrane protein. A pertinent role of this protein in a modified replication/repair complex is an attractive suggestion, especially in the context of the mutator character of this strain.

Membrane-bound mitochondrial DNA: isolation, transcription and protein composition

Mitochondrial membrane-bound DNA complex from bovine heart mitochondria lysed in the presence of Triton X-100 was isolated by differential centrifugation. The yield of "nucleoid" is about 30 microgram protein/mg mitochondrial protein. It contains about 3-5 microgram DNA/mg protein and varying amounts of RNA. The heart mitochondrial nucleoid actively synthesizes RNA. The nucleoid fraction contains about sixteen different proteins as evidenced by urea-SDS gel electrophoresis and about twenty-one proteins as evidenced by acid-urea gel electrophoresis. It appears that the nucleoid is attached to the inner membrane since it does contain cytochromes.