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Science 20 October 2006:
Vol. 314. no. 5798, pp. 471 - 474
DOI: 10.1126/science.1129754
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Reports

Functional Delivery of a Cytosolic tRNA into Mutant Mitochondria of Human Cells

Bidesh Mahata,1 Saikat Mukherjee,1 Sumita Mishra,2 Arun Bandyopadhyay,2 Samit Adhya1*

Many maternally inherited and incurable neuromyopathies are caused by mutations in mitochondrial (mt) transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. Kinetoplastid protozoa, including Leishmania, have evolved specialized systems for importing nucleus-encoded tRNAs into mitochondria. We found that the Leishmania RNA import complex (RIC) could enter human cells by a caveolin-1–dependent pathway, where it induced import of endogenous cytosolic tRNAs, including tRNALys, and restored mitochondrial function in a cybrid harboring a mutant mt tRNALys (MT-TK) gene. The use of protein complexes to modulate mitochondrial function may help in the management of such genetic disorders.

1 Genetic Engineering, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Calcutta 700032, India.
2 Molecular Endocrinology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Calcutta 700032, India.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sadhya{at}iicb.res.in

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