FIGURE 5.

Overexpression of the TWNK A137T causes mtDNA depletion in vitro. The transfection efficiency was measured by qRT-PCR at 48 h after transfection with TWNK A137T overexpression in chicken hepatoma (LMH) cells (A) and DF-1 cells (D), respectively. The protein expression levels of Twinkle were measured by western blot at 48 h after transfection with TWNK A137T overexpression in LMH cells (B) and DF-1 cells (E), respectively. The relative mtDNA copy number was measured by qRT-PCR at 48 h after transfection with TWNK A137T overexpression in LMH cells (C) and DF-1 cells (F). The relative mtDNA copy number was represented by the change of tRNA-Leu and rRNA-16S normalized to β2M. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.