Import of Non-Coding RNAs into Human Mitochondria: A Critical Review and Emerging Approaches

Mitochondria harbor their own genetic system, yet critically depend on the import of a number of nuclear-encoded macromolecules to ensure their expression. In all eukaryotes, selected non-coding RNAs produced from the nuclear genome are partially redirected into the mitochondria, where they participate in gene expression. Therefore, the mitochondrial RNome represents an intricate mixture of the intrinsic transcriptome and the extrinsic RNA importome. In this review, we summarize and critically analyze data on the nuclear-encoded transcripts detected in human mitochondria and outline the proposed molecular mechanisms of their mitochondrial import. Special attention is given to the various experimental approaches used to study the mitochondrial RNome, including some recently developed genome-wide and in situ techniques.