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PROTEIN EXPRESSON OF MITOCHONDRIAL MRNA TRANSLATION FACTORS IS DRIVEN BY PGC-1α

Abstract

Cody M. Sexton, Jacob L. Brown, David E. Lee, Jordyn N. Henry, Megan E. Rosa, Lemuel A. Brown, Richard A. Perry, Jr., Tyrone A. Washington & Nicholas P. Greene

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Exercise training enhances aerobic capacity, which is partially due to enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis in the skeletal muscle. The mitochondria contain their own genome encoding 13 proteins necessary for electron transport. PGC-1α is known to drive exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis, partially through activation of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) which promotes transcription of the mitochondrial genome. However, if PGC-1α may also serve to promote mitochondrial mRNA translation is currently unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine if PGC-1α drives the expression of mitochondrial mRNA translation markers. METHODS: MCK-PGC-1α transgenic mice (n = 9, skeletal muscle specific overexpression of PGC-1α) and wildtype littermates (WT, n = 12) were used. At 12 weeks age mice were euthanized and hindlimb muscles collected. Western blot analysis of gastrocnemius muscle was conducted on mitochondrial mRNA translation factors including translational activator of cytochrome oxidase (TACO1), and mitochondrial translation elongation factor-Tu (TUFM). Data were analyzed by T-test (WT vs MCK-PGC-1α) with α set at PRESULTS: TACO1 expression increased by 400 % (p= 0.02) in MCK-PGC-1α compared to WT. TUFM expression increased by 330 % (p= 0.01) in MCK-PGC-1α compared to WT. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that PGC-1α does in fact drive mitochondrial mRNA translation. Exercise has been shown to increase the expression of PGC-1α, which the study suggests promotes increases in mitochondrial translation proteins.

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