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. 2014 Jun 3;5:3996. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4996

Figure 5. Expression of TDP-43 reduces ER–mitochondria associations.

Figure 5

(a) Representative electron micrographs of ER–mitochondria associations in NSC34 cells transfected with control EGFP vector (CTRL), EGFP-TDP-43, EGFP-TDP-43M337V, EGFP-TDP-43Q331K, EGFP-TDP-43A382T or EGFP-TDP-43G348C as indicated; arrowheads with loops show regions of association. Scale bar, 100 nm. Bar chart shows % of the mitochondrial surface closely apposed to ER in the different samples. Data were analysed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. N=30–35 cells and 352–481 mitochondria; error bars are s.e.m.; ***P<0.001. (b) Expression of wild-type or disease-associated mutant TDP-43 does not alter expression of VAPB, PTPIP51 or mitofusin-2 (MFN2). Immunoblots of NSC34 cells transfected with EGFP as a control (CTRL), or wild-type or mutant EGFP-TDP-43 as indicated. Transfected cells were purified via EGFP using a cell sorter and the samples probed on immunoblots as indicated. On TDP-43 immunoblot, upper species is transfected and lower species endogenous TDP-43; actin is shown as a loading control. (c) Representative electron micrographs of ER–mitochondria associations in motor neurons of TDP-43 transgenic mice and their non-transgenic littermates; arrowheads with loops show regions of association. Scale bar, 200 nm. Bar chart shows % of the mitochondrial surface closely apposed to ER in the two samples. Data were analysed by the unpaired t-test. N=67–88 cells and 438–749 mitochondria; error bars are s.e.m.; ***P<0.001.