Mitochondrial genome and epigenome: two sides of the same coin.
The involvement of mitochondrial content, structure and function as well as of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) in cell biology, by participating in the main processes occurring in the cells, has been a topic of intense interest for many years. More specifically, the progressive accumulation of variations in mtDNA of post-mitotic tissues represents a major contributing factor to both physiological and pathological phenotypes. Recently, an epigenetic overlay on mtDNA genetics is emerging, as demonstrated by the implication of the mitochondrial genome in the regulation of the intracellular epigenetic landscape being itself object of epigenetic modifications. Indeed,in vitroand population studies strongly suggest that, similarly to nuclear DNA, also mtDNA is subject to methylation and hydroxymethylation. It follows that the mitochondrial-nucleus cross talk and mitochondrial retrograde signaling in cellular properties require a concerted functional cooperation between genetic and epigenetic changes. The present paper aims to review the current advances in mitochondrial epigenetics studies and the increasing indication of mtDNA methylation status as an attractive biomarker for peculiar pathological phenotypes and environmental exposure.
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
Patrizia
P
D'Aquila
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
Alberto
A
Montesanto
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
Francesco
F
Guarasci
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Passarino
Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy, dina.bellizzi@unical.it.
Dina
D
Bellizzi
D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004261:DNA Replication; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015894:Genome, Human; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015415:Biomarkers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial