Single organelle analysis to characterize mitochondrial function and crosstalk during viral infection

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 11;9(1):8492. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44922-9.

Abstract

Mitochondria are key for cellular metabolism and signalling processes during viral infection. We report a methodology to analyse mitochondrial properties at the single-organelle level during viral infection using a recombinant adenovirus coding for a mitochondrial tracer protein for tagging and detection by multispectral flow cytometry. Resolution at the level of tagged individual mitochondria revealed changes in mitochondrial size, membrane potential and displayed a fragile phenotype during viral infection of cells. Thus, single-organelle and multi-parameter resolution allows to explore altered energy metabolism and antiviral defence by tagged mitochondria selectively in virus-infected cells and will be instrumental to identify viral immune escape and to develop and monitor novel mitochondrial-targeted therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hepatocytes / ultrastructure
  • Hepatocytes / virology
  • Humans
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria, Liver / ultrastructure
  • Mitochondria, Liver / virology
  • Organelle Size
  • Virus Diseases / metabolism*