mtRNA Analysis
Mammalian mitochondria contain a small circular genome, which encodes 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 tRNAs, and 13 essential protein subunit. The transcription and translation machineries in the mitochondrial matrix require both mitochondrion-encoded RNAs and nucleus encoded protein and RNA factors. Mitochondrial RNAs (mtRNAs) are first transcribed as polycistronic transcripts from both H-strand and L-strand, and the transcripts are dissected by RNA processing enzyme into individual rRNAs, tRNAs, and mRNAs. These rRNAs and tRNAs together with translational factors imported from cytosol then synthesize the proteins from the mRNAs.