Local Mitochondrial Physiology Defined by mtDNA Quality Guides Purifying Selection

The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) encodes essential subunits of the electron transport chain and ATP synthase. Mutations in these genes impair oxidative phosphorylation, compromise mitochondrial ATP production and cellular energy supply, and can cause mitochondrial diseases. These consequences highlight the importance of mtDNA quality control (mtDNA-QC), the process by which cells selectively maintain intact mtDNA to preserve respiratory function.

Here, we developed a high-throughput flow cytometry assay for Saccharomyces cerevisiae to track mtDNA segregation in cell populations derived from heteroplasmic zygotes, in which wild-type (WT) mtDNA is fluorescently labeled and mutant mtDNA remains unlabeled. Using this approach, we observe purifying selection against mtDNA lacking subunits of complex III ( COB ), complex IV ( COX2 ) or the ATP synthase ( ATP6 ), under fermentative conditions that do not require respiratory activity. By integrating cytometric data with growth assays and simulations, we show that the decline of Δ atp6 mtDNA reflects both intracellular selection for intact genomes and a proliferative disadvantage of cells lacking ATP synthase. In contrast, loss of Δ cob and Δ cox2 mtDNA is primarily driven by selective maintenance of functional genomes.

In heteroplasmic cells containing both intact and mutant mtDNA, fluorescent reporters revealed local reductions in ATP levels and membrane potential (ΔΨ) near mutant genomes, indicating spatial heterogeneity in mitochondrial physiology that reflects local mtDNA quality. Disruption of the respiratory chain by deletion of nuclear-encoded subunits ( RIP1, COX4 ) abolished these physiological gradients and impaired mtDNA-QC, suggesting that local bioenergetic differences are required for selective recognition.

Together, our findings support a model in which yeast cells assess local respiratory function as a proxy for mtDNA integrity, enabling intracellular selection for functional mitochondrial genomes.