Studying Proteolysis Within Mitochondria

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles with activities that adjust to altering physiological conditions and variable metabolic demands. A conserved proteolytic system present within the organelle exerts essential functions during the biogenesis of mitochondria and ensures the maintenance of organellar activities under varying conditions. Proteases dependent on adenosine triphosphate, in concert with oligopeptidases, degrade nonassembled or damaged proteins in various subcompartments of mitochondria, preventing their accumulation and possibly deleterious effects on mitochondrial functions. Although an increasing number of mitochondrial peptidases are characterized and functionally linked to diverse cellular processes, only limited information is available on the stability of the mitochondrial proteome and the turnover rates of individual proteins. We describe experimental approaches in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in mice, allowing analysis of the proteolytic breakdown of mitochondrial proteins individually or on a proteomewide scale.