Elevated mitochondrial RNA in a Chinese hamster mutant deficient in the mitochondrially encoded subunits of NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase.

In a unique Chinese hamster mutant, Gal-32, the mitochondrially encoded subunits of cytochrome c oxidase (CO I, II, III) and NADH dehydrogenase (ND 1-6) are greatly decreased while other mitochondrially synthesized proteins, such as ATPase subunits 6 and 8, are less affected. Pulse-chase experiments with [35S]methionine demonstrated that the reduced amounts of CO I and ND 5 subunits in Gal-32 are not the result of more rapid protein degradation. No differences in sizes of mtRNAs were detected between wild type and mutant using Northern blotting. The steady state levels of both heavy and light strand mtDNA transcripts were elevated in Gal-32: CO I mRNA was 1.5-fold higher in the mutant than in the wild type; ND 5 mRNA was 1.9-fold higher; ND 6 precursor RNAs were 1.4-fold higher and ATPase 6 and 8 mRNA (a single transcript) was 2.7-fold higher. Thus, the amounts of translation products are roughly correlated with the levels of mRNAs. The reduced levels of mitochondrially synthesized proteins in Gal-32 are the result of decreased translation of specific mRNAs, not increased degradation of mtRNAs.