Abstract
Mitochondria are not only the 'powerhouse' of the cell; they are also involved in a multitude of processes that include calcium storage, the cell cycle and cell death. Traditional means of investigating mitochondrial importance in a given cellular process have centered upon depletion of mtDNA through chemical or genetic means. Although these methods severely disrupt the mitochondrial electron transport chain, mtDNA-depleted cells still maintain mitochondria and many mitochondrial functions. Here we describe a straightforward protocol to generate mammalian cell populations with low to nondetectable levels of mitochondria. Ectopic expression of the ubiquitin E3 ligase Parkin, combined with short-term mitochondrial uncoupler treatment, stimulates widespread mitophagy and effectively eliminates mitochondria. In this protocol, we explain how to generate Parkin-expressing, mitochondria-depleted cells from scratch in 23 d, as well as offer a variety of methods for confirming mitochondrial clearance. Furthermore, we describe culture conditions to maintain mitochondrial-depleted cells for up to 30 d with minimal loss of viability, for longitudinal studies. This method should prove useful for investigating the importance of mitochondria in a variety of biological processes.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 183-194 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Nature Protocols |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2017 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology