Characterizing the function of MCUb as an inducible activator of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation

Influx of Ca2+ across the inner mitochondrial membrane via the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) enhances the activity of several electron transport chain dehydrogenases and the F1F0 ATP synthase. In this study, we investigated the role of MCUb, an MCU complex gene product that is a direct inhibitor of MCU mediated Ca2+ influx. We find MCUb expression to be induced by caloric restriction in heart, skeletal muscle, liver and kidney where it functions as a metabolic activator of mitochondrial fatty acid utilization. Mice selectively deficient for Mcub in skeletal muscle showed a metabolic signature of deficient fatty acid utilization in muscle, associated with progressive age-related obesity, glucose intolerance and metabolic syndrome. To define transcriptional changes underlying, and potentially contributing to this regulation of Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial fatty acid utilization, microarray analyses of tibialis anterior (TA) muscle from control and knockout mice was carried out. We used microarrays to elucidate effects of MCU and MCUb ablation on transcriptional profiles of TA muscle Tibialis anterior (TA) muscle was harvested from 2-month old control and experimental mice on the C57/BL6 background. Total RNA was isolated using the Trizol protocol and submitted to Affymetrix Clariom S array pipeline after quality control analysis using Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.