Baker’s yeast mitochondrial genome encodes eight polypeptides. The goal of the current protocol is to label all of them and subsequently visualize them as separate bands.
Mitochondria are essential organelles of eukaryotic cells capable of aerobic respiration. They contain circular genome and gene expression apparatus. A mitochondrial genome of baker’s yeast encodes eight proteins: three subunits of the cytochrome c oxidase (Cox1p, Cox2p, and Cox3p), three subunits of the ATP synthase (Atp6p, Atp8p, and Atp9p), a subunit of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase enzyme, cytochrome b (Cytb), and mitochondrial ribosomal protein Var1p. The purpose of the method described here is to specifically label these proteins with 35S methionine, separate them by electrophoresis and visualize the signals as discrete bands on the screen. The procedure involves several steps. First, yeast cells are cultured in a galactose-containing medium until they reach the late logarithmic growth stage. Next, cycloheximide treatment blocks cytoplasmic translation and allows 35S methionine incorporation only in mitochondrial translation products. Then, all proteins are extracted from yeast cells and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Finally, the gel is dried and incubated with the storage phosphor screen. The screen is scanned on a phosphorimager revealing the bands. The method can be applied to compare the biosynthesis rate of a single polypeptide in the mitochondria of a mutant yeast strain versus the wild type, which is useful for studying mitochondrial gene expression defects. This protocol gives valuable information about the translation rate of all yeast mitochondrial mRNAs. However, it requires several controls and additional experiments to make proper conclusions.
Mitochondria are the organelles deeply involved in the metabolism of a eukaryotic cell. Their electron transfer chain supplies the cell with ATP, the main energetic currency used in multiple biochemical pathways. Besides, they are involved in apoptosis, fatty acid and heme synthesis, and other processes. Dysfunction of mitochondria is a well-known source of human disease1. It can result from mutations in nuclear or mitochondrial genes encoding structural or regulatory components of the organelles2. Baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an excellent model organism for studying mitochondrial gene expression due to several reasons. First, their genome is completely sequenced3, well-annotated, and a big sum of data is already available in literature thanks to the long history of investigations carried out with this organism. Second, the manipulations with their nuclear genome are relatively fast and easy because of their fast growth rate and highly efficient homologous recombination system. Third, baker’s yeast S. cerevisiae is one of the few organisms for which the manipulations with mitochondrial genomes are developed. Finally, baker's yeast is an aerobe-anaerobe facultative organism, which allows isolation and study of respiratory defective mutants, since they can grow in media containing fermentable carbon sources.
We describe the method to study mitochondrial gene expression of baker’s yeast S. cerevisiae at the translational level4. Its main principle comes from several observations. First, the yeast mitochondrial genome encodes only eight proteins: three subunits of the cytochrome c oxidase (Cox1p, Cox2p, and Cox3p), three subunits of the ATP synthase (Atp6p, Atp8p, and Atp9p), a subunit of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase enzyme, cytochrome b (Cytb), and mitochondrial ribosomal protein Var1p5. This number is small, and all of them can be separated by electrophoresis on a single gel in the appropriate conditions. Second, mitochondrial ribosomes belong to the prokaryotic class rather than eukaryotic6, and therefore, the sensitivity to antibiotics is different for yeast cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes. It allows the inhibition of cytoplasmic translation with cycloheximide, providing the conditions when the labeled amino acid (35S-methionine) is incorporated only in mitochondrial translation products. As a result, the experiment gives information about the rate of amino acid incorporation in mitochondrial proteins synthesized de novo, reflecting the overall efficiency of mitochondrial translation for each of the eight products
1. Yeast culture preparation
2. Radioactive isotope incorporation
3. Yeast cell lysis and extraction of proteins
4. Precipitation of proteins
CAUTION: Methanol and chloroform are organic solvents. Follow the usual safety practices for handling organic substances.
5. SDS-PAGE
6. Autoradiography
Following the protocol described above, we assigned mitochondrial translation products from two S. cerevisiae strains: the wild type (WT) and a mutant bearing deletion of the AIM23 gene (AIM23Δ), encoding mitochondrial translation initiation factor 3 (Table 1)8. Mitochondrial translation products were radioactively labeled and separated in SDS-PAAG9. The samples were collected every 2.5 min before saturation to build a time course (Figure 1A). The gel was stained, dried, and screened after the 5-day exposition (Figure 1A).
In the case of a successful experiment, the picture demonstrates eight bands assigned according to the standard pattern4. However, the intensities of individual bands can be highly variable depending on the strain and experimental conditions. Each band corresponds to one translation product. The data (Figure 1A) suggest that the AIM23Δ strain is capable of mitochondrial protein synthesis because all products appearing in the WT are visible in this mutant. However, the intensities of the bands are different from the WT, meaning that the deletion of AIM23 affects mitochondrial gene expression8. Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining serves as a loading control.
The resulting data can be quantified (Figure 1B) to identify differences between strains or experimental conditions using ImageJ10 or ImageQuant software. For this, the ratios of the signal corresponding to every product to the total signal are calculated. Mean values and standard deviations are calculated in at least three independent experiments.
The kinetics of synthesized protein turnover is studied in a pulse-chase experiment (Figure 1C). Samples are collected at the indicated time points after the labeling reaction is stopped by cold methionine and puromycine in step 2.4. This control is necessary to estimate the stability of the products because the intensity of the signal is a result of two opposite processes: synthesis of new chains and protein degradation. Immunostaining with anti-porin 1 antibodies is a loading control.
Figure 1: Representative radioactive labeling of yeast mitochondrial translation products. (A) Time course of 35S-methionine incorporation in mitochondrially synthesized proteins in live yeast cells of WT and AIM23Δ strains. Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining is a loading control. (B) Levels of mitochondrially-encoded proteins after 5 min labeling with 35S-methionine. The relative expression is normalized to the total expression of mitochondrially encoded protein genes. Error bars indicate the standard deviation of the mean of at least three independent experiments. (C) Turnover of mitochondrially synthesized proteins in wild type and Aim23Δ strains. The labeling was stopped and the samples were collected at the indicated time points. Immunostaining with anti-porin 1 antibody is a loading control. (D) Sub-optimal experiment with old 35S-methionine, radioautography. Figure 1A,B,C are adapted from8 with minor modifications. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
strain | genotype |
WT | MATα mal |
AIM23Δ | MATα mal, AIM23::KanMX4 |
Table 1. Genotypes of S. cerevisiae strains
Investigations of gene expression occupy a central part in modern life sciences. Numerous methods providing insights into this complex process have been developed. Here, we described the method allowing to access protein biosynthesis in baker's yeast S. cerevisiae mitochondria. It is usually applied to compare translation efficiencies of the mRNAs in mitochondria of mutant yeast strain versus wild type to access the consequences of the studied mutation. This is one of the basic experiments the researchers conduct when they study the mitochondrial function of yeast cells bearing the mutation suggested to influence mitochondria8,11,12,13. It is often combined with the measurements of oxygen consumption rate and mitochondrial membrane potential. However, the information it provides is not sufficient to distinguish what stage of gene expression is affected. A set of additional experiments is required to find it out. First, northern blot or RT-qPCR evaluation of mitochondrial mRNAs is necessary to assess the transcriptional step. Second, a Western blot of total protein extracts with specific antibodies should be done to assess the protein level. Third, the pulse of labeled 35S-methionine (hot) should be continued with the addition of unlabeled (cold) methionine (chase) and several time points should be collected and analyzed on the gel to investigate the stability of the proteins.
Accurate analysis of mitochondrial gene expression using 35S pulse labeling requires control reactions, especially when the researcher lacks the experience handling it or works with a new yeast strain or a mutant. In these cases, good negative control is a rho0 strain devoid of mitochondrial DNA. It shows efficient cycloheximide inhibition of cytosolic translation and confirms that the banding pattern is mitochondrial translation specific. If the rho0 strain is not available, then we suggest including chloramphenicol along with cycloheximide to inhibit all protein synthesis to confirm cycloheximide efficiency and specificity of the banding pattern.
The closest modification of the protocol is the pulse-chase when the culture is incubated in the shaker (step 2.4) longer than suggested in the pulse experiment (Figure 1C). It is used to study the turnover and stability of mitochondrial translation products. There is another modification of the method when the radioactive labeling is done in organello, not in vivo4. It suggests the isolation of mitochondria from yeast cells. This modification is faster if frozen mitochondria were previously stocked in aliquots. Another advantage is the absence of cycloheximide treatment, which affects different aspects of cellular metabolism. However, isolation of mitochondria and freeze-thawing them can perturb the translation complexes in the organelles providing an artificial picture. Another important modification of the protocol can be done after the separation of mitochondrial translation products in polyacrylamide gel (step 5). Instead of Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining and drying the gel, the protein can be transferred to the nitrocellulose membrane by electro-blotting. This results in stronger and sharper signals. The main reason is that 35S decays by emission of beta particles with very short penetration, so the signal is easily screened in this approach. Electrophoretic conditions can also be modified to provide better resolution. One point is to add 6M urea in the gel, which improves the separation of atp8 and atp914. Another way is using gradient 15%–20% gels.
Translational profiling15 is the method used to dive deeper into the alterations of mitochondrial translation. As compared to radioactive labeling, it allows establishing positions of mitochondrial ribosomes on the mRNA, which makes it possible to find the exact step (initiation, elongation, or termination) being affected. However, profiling is much more expensive, complicated, and time-consuming. Rationally it can be done after the label incorporation experiment, not vice versa. Recently, a novel approach to monitoring yeast mitochondrial translation has been developed16. It avoids treatment with cycloheximide, which is advantageous because such treatment affects cellular metabolism and signaling pathways. Instead of radioactively labeled amino acid incorporation, it utilizes the insertion of a recoded gene for super-folded GFP (sfGFP) in yeast mitochondrial genome, which allows direct measurement of mitochondrial translation using flow cytometry. However, the application of this approach requires the special yeast strain with modified mitochondrial DNA containing sfGFP coding sequence placed between 5’- and 3’- flanking sequences of a certain mitochondrial gene.
The label incorporation experiment includes several critical steps, which cannot be compromised in a successful experiment. First, fresh yeast cultures should be used (step 1.1). Keeping yeasts on the plates longer than 1 month is not recommend; otherwise, they can behave unpredictably in this assay. Second, the cycloheximide solution should be prepared fresh before the experiment and stored frozen no longer than 1 week (step 2.1). The old solution loses its ability to inhibit cytoplasmic translation resulting in a completely aberrant band pattern in the radioautography. Third, 35S-methionine should be fresh and active (step 2.2), otherwise, the intensities of the bands will be weak (Figure 1D). Using the reagent that passed four half-lives (4 x 87.4 days) is not recommended. Avoid boiling the protein samples at 95 °C as standard sample preparation guides suggest (step 4.8) because mitochondrial proteins are highly hydrophobic and prone to aggregation.
There are several common issues one can experience dealing with this method. The first one is the weak intensity of the bands on the radioautography. To fix it make sure, that fresh 35S-methionine is used, a sufficient amount of yeast cells is taken, and the proteins do not aggregate in the pockets on the gel, which can be controlled by Coomassie staining. Keep the dried gel with the screen for no less than 3 days. The second issue is the incorrect band pattern. If it is encountered, make sure that fresh yeast plates and freshly prepared cycloheximide are used. Keep in mind that relative intensities of the bands can vastly vary in different yeast strains and electrophoresis conditions. It makes little sense to load the protein molecular weight ladder on the gel since mitochondrial translation products are never separated according to their molecular masses in this procedure because they are highly hydrophobic. Thus, Cox I (58 kDa) migrates faster than Var 1 (47 kDa). Depending on the buffer conditions, the proteins can even switch positions with one of the neighbors. The third common issue is the blurred picture with no sharp bands observed after Coomassie staining. It indicates the mistakes in the casting of the gel, incorrect buffer composition, or degradation of proteins in the samples. It is recommended to prepare new gel buffers and running buffer carefully checking the composition and the pH values.
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This research was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant number 18-29-07002. P.K. was supported by State Assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant number AAAA-A16-116021660073-5. M.V.P. was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant number 075-15-2019-1659 (Program of Kurchatov Center of Genome Research). The work was partly done on the equipment purchased in the frame of the Moscow State University Program of Development. I.C., S.L., and M.V.B. were additionally supported by Moscow State University grant “Leading Scientific School Noah’s Ark”.
2-Mercaptoethanol | Sigma-Aldrich | M3148 | |
Acrylamide | Sigma-Aldrich | A9099 | |
Ammonium persulfate | Sigma-Aldrich | A3678 | |
Bacteriological agar | Sigma-Aldrich | A5306 | |
Biowave Cell Density Meter CO8000 | BIOCHROM US BE | 80-3000-45 | |
BRAND standard disposable cuvettes | Sigma-Aldrich | Z330361 | |
chloroform | Sigma-Aldrich | 288306 | |
cycloheximide | Sigma-Aldrich | C1988 | |
D-(+)-Galactose | Sigma-Aldrich | G5388 | |
D-(+)-Glucose | Sigma-Aldrich | G7021 | |
digital block heater | Thermo Scientific | 88870001 | |
EasyTag L-[35S]-Methionine, 500µCi (18.5MBq), Stabilized Aqueous Solution | Perkin Elmer | NEG709A500UC | |
Eppendorf Centrifuge 5425 | Thermo Scientific | 13-864-457 | |
GE Storage Phosphor Screens | Sigma-Aldrich | GE29-0171-33 | |
L-methionine | Sigma-Aldrich | M9625 | |
methanol | Sigma-Aldrich | 34860 | |
N,N,N′,N′-Tetramethylethylenediamine | Sigma-Aldrich | T9281 | |
N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide | Sigma-Aldrich | M7279 | |
New Brunswick Innova 44/44R Shaker Incubator | New Brunswick Scientific | ||
Peptone from meat, bacteriological | Millipore | 91249 | |
Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride | Sigma-Aldrich | P7626 | |
Pierce 660nm Protein Assay Kit | Thermo Scientific | 22662 | |
PowerPac Basic Power Supply | Bio-Rad | 1645050 | |
Protean II xi cell | Bio-Rad | 1651802 | |
Puromycin dihydrochloride from Streptomyces alboniger | Sigma-Aldrich | P8833 | |
Sodium hydroxide | Sigma-Aldrich | 221465 | |
Storm 865 phosphor imager | GE Healthcare | ||
Trizma base | Sigma-Aldrich | 93352 | |
Vacuum Heated Gel Dryer | Cleaver Scientific | CSL-GDVH | |
Yeast extract | Sigma-Aldrich | Y1625 |