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Updated: May 13, 2026

Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53
Published on: August 4, 2019
Mitochondrial matrix P53 sensitizes cells to oxidative stress
Christopher A Koczor1, Rebecca A Torres, Earl J Fields
1Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Abstract:
A mitochondrial matrix-specific p53 construct (termed p53-290) in HepG2 cells was utilized to determine the impact of p53 in the mitochondrial matrix following oxidative stress. H₂O₂ exposure reduced cellular proliferation similarly in both p53-290 and vector cells, and p53-290 cells demonstrating decreased cell viability at 1mM H₂O₂ (~85% viable). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) abundance was decreased in a dose-dependent manner in p53-290 cells while no change was observed in vector cells. Oximetric analysis revealed reduced maximal respiration and reserve capacity in p53-290 cells. Our results demonstrate that mitochondrial matrix p53 sensitizes cells to oxidative stress by reducing mtDNA abundance and mitochondrial function.
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