Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
09:27
Isolation and Functional Analysis of Mitochondria from Cultured Cells and Mouse Tissue
Published on: March 23, 2015
Mitochondria, bioenergetics, and the epigenome in eukaryotic and human evolution
1ORU for Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine and Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3940, USA. dwallace@uci.edu
Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology
|December 4, 2009
Summary
Animal adaptation to energy resources occurs via DNA mutations and epigenomic regulation. These bioenergetic changes, affecting mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA), influence species evolution and individual health, leading to similar disease phenotypes.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Traditional studies on species origin emphasize anatomy, but energy availability is a primary limiting factor for animal populations.
- Animal adaptation to energy resources occurs at three distinct levels: species evolution (nDNA), intraspecific physiological adjustment (mtDNA and nDNA), and individual acclimatization (epigenomics).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of energy adaptation in species evolution and individual health.
- To investigate the link between bioenergetic genes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), nuclear DNA (nDNA), and epigenomic regulation in disease phenotypes.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of adaptation mechanisms across species, intraspecific populations, and individuals.
- Examination of genetic (nDNA, mtDNA) and epigenomic regulatory pathways influencing bioenergetics.
- Correlation of bioenergetic alterations with disease phenotypes.
Main Results:
- Species diversification is driven by nDNA mutations enabling exploitation of new energy sources.
- Intraspecific adaptation involves mtDNA and nDNA bioenergetic gene mutations for niche adjustment.
- Individual adaptation relies on epigenomic regulation of bioenergetic genes, influenced by mitochondrial intermediates.
Conclusions:
- Clinically relevant variations often involve bioenergetics rather than anatomy, particularly in medicine's focus on intraspecific changes.
- Similar phenotypes in mitochondrial and epigenomic diseases suggest a common underlying bioenergetic failure.
- Common complex diseases may stem from genetic mutations in bioenergetic pathways (mtDNA, nDNA) or disrupted epigenomic regulation.
Related Concept Videos
02:59Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
Among all the organelles in an animal cell, only mitochondria have their own independent genomes. Animal mitochondrial DNA is a double-stranded, closed-circular molecule with around 20,000 base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA is unique in that one of its two strands, the heavy, or H, -strand is guanine rich, whereas the complementary strand is cytosine rich and called the light, or L, -strand. Compared to nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA has a very low percentage of non-coding regions and is marked by...
01:37Mitochondria
Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
01:37Mitochondria
Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
01:45Mitochondrial Membranes
A single mitochondrion is a bean-shaped organelle enclosed by a double-membrane system. The outer membrane of mitochondria is smooth and contains many porins - the integral membrane transporters. Porins enable free diffusion of ions and small uncharged molecules through the outer mitochondrial membrane but limit the transport of molecules larger than 5000 Daltons. Further, the outer mitochondrial membrane forms a unique structure called membrane contact sites with other subcellular organelles,...
01:45Mitochondrial Membranes
A single mitochondrion is a bean-shaped organelle enclosed by a double-membrane system. The outer membrane of mitochondria is smooth and contains many porins - the integral membrane transporters. Porins enable free diffusion of ions and small uncharged molecules through the outer mitochondrial membrane but limit the transport of molecules larger than 5000 Daltons. Further, the outer mitochondrial membrane forms a unique structure called membrane contact sites with other subcellular organelles,...
01:28The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane
The inner mitochondrial membrane is the primary site of ATP synthesis. The inner membrane domain that forms a smooth layer adjacent to the outer membrane is called the inner boundary membrane. This domain contains membrane transporters that drive metabolites in and out of the mitochondria. In contrast, the inner membrane network that invaginates into the matrix space is called the cristae membrane. This domain accounts for principle mitochondrial function as it accommodates the protein...