Abstract
Maternally transmitted antigen (Mta) is a murine cell-surface molecule defined by the reactivity of specific H–2 nonrestricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL-s)1,2. Maternal transmission appears to be under control of a stable genetic factor in the cytoplasm of the ovum3,4. In view of the known maternal inheritance of mitochondria5–7, we have assessed their involvement in Mta expression using the mitochondria specific poison Rhodamine 6G (R6G)8,9. We report here that Mta expression in somatic cell hybrids requires functional mitochondria from the Mta+ parent cell line. Mta expression was dominant in hybrids from the fusion of Mta+ and Mta− cells. However, pretreatment of the Mta+ parent with R6G resulted in hybrids which were Mta−, or diminished in Mta expression. These data strongly implicate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the expression of a cell-surface molecule, and define a system for studying a previously unrecognized mitochondrial function. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for mitochondrial control of the expression of a cell membrane molecule in eukaryotes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fischer Lindahl, K., Bocchieri, M. & Riblet, R. J exp. Med. 152, 1583–1595 (1980).
Smith III, R., Huston, D. P. & Rich, R. R. J. exp. Med. 156, 1866–1871 (1982).
Fischer Lindahl, K. & Burki, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 5362–5366 (1982).
Fischer Lindahl, K. & Hausmann, B. Genetics 103, 483–494 (1983).
Dawid, I. B. & Blackler, A. W. Devl Biol. 29, 152–161 (1972).
Hauswirth, W. W. & Laipis, P. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 4686–4690 (1982).
Lansman, R. A., Avise, J. C. & Huettel, M. D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 1969–1971 (1983).
Gear, A. R. L. J. biol. Chem. 249, 3628–3637 (1974).
Ziegler, M. L. & Davidson, R. L. Somatic Cell Genet. 7, 73–88 (1981).
Yonekawa, H. et al. Jap. J. Genet. 55, 289–296 (1980).
Ferris, S. D., Sage, R. D. & Wilson, A. C. Nature 295, 163–165 (1982).
Yonekawa, H. et al. Differentiation 22, 222–226 (1982).
Huston, M. M. Smith III, R., Huston, D. P. & Rich, R. R. J. exp. Med. 157, 2154–2159 (1983).
Ferris, S. D., Ritte, U., Fischer Lindahl, K., Prager, E. M. & Wilson, A. C. Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 2917–2926 (1983).
Kearney, J. F., Radbruch, A., Liesegang, B. & Rajewsky, K. J. Immun. 123, 1548–1550 (1979).
Jenkins, R. N. & Rich, R. R. (in the press).
Kearsey, S. E. & Craig, I. W. Nature 290, 607–608 (1981).
Fischer Lindahl, K. & Langhorne, J. Scand. J. Immun. 14, 643–654 (1981).
Steinmetz, M., Winoto, A., Minard, K. & Hood, L. Cell 28, 489–498 (1982).
Winoto, A., Steinmetz, M. & Hood, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 3425–3429 (1983).
Bibb, M. J., Van Etten, R. A., Wright, C. T., Walberg, M. W. & Clayton, D. A. Cell 26, 167–180 (1981).
Ellis, J. Nature 299, 678–679 (1982).
Lewin, R. Science 219, 478–479 (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, R., Huston, M., Jenkins, R. et al. Mitochondria control expression of a murine cell surface antigen. Nature 306, 599–601 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/306599a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/306599a0
This article is cited by
-
Production of transmitochondrial mouse cell lines by cybrid rescue of rhodamine-6G pre-treated L-cells
Somatic Cell and Molecular Genetics (1996)
-
An unexpectedly labile mitochondrially encoded protein is required for Mta expression
Immunogenetics (1989)
-
Flocculation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mitochondrial DNA structure
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (1988)
-
Unglycosylated Mtaa expresses an Mtab-like determinant
Immunogenetics (1987)
-
Susceptibility genetics of systemic lupus erythematosus
Springer Seminars in Immunopathology (1986)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
