Synchronization of mitochondrial DNA synthesis in Chinese hamster cells (line CHO) deprived of isoleucine.

Mitochondrial DNA (mit-DNA) synthesis was compared in suspension cultures of Chinese hamster cells (line CHO) whose cell cycle events had been synchronized by isoleucine deprivation or mitotic selection. At hourly intervals during cell cycle progression, synchronized cells were exposed to tritiated thymidine ([(3)H]TdR), homogenized, and nuclei and mitochondria isolated by differential centrifugation. Mit-DNA and nuclear DNA were isolated and incorporation of radioisotope measured as counts per minute ([(3)H]TdR) per microgram DNA. Mit-DNA synthesis in cells synchronized by mitotic selection began after 4 h and continued for approximately 9 h. This time-course pattern resembled that of nuclear DNA synthesis. In contrast, mit-DNA synthesis in cells synchronized by isoleucine deprivation did not begin until 9-12 h after addition of isoleucine and virtually all [(3)H]TdR was incorporated during a 3-h interval. We have concluded from these results that mit-DNA synthesis is inhibited in CHO cells which are arrested in G(1) because of isoleucine deprivation and that addition of isoleucine stimulates synchronous synthesis of mit-DNA. We believe this method of synchronizing mit-DNA synthesis may be of value in studies of factors which regulate synthesis of mit-DNA.