Recently, we showed that generation of tumours in syngeneic mice by cells devoid of mitochondrial (mt) DNA (ρ⁰ cells) is linked to the acquisition of the host mtDNA. However, the mechanism of mtDNA movement between cells remains unresolved. To determine whether the transfer of mtDNA involves whole mitochondria, we injected B16ρ⁰ mouse melanoma cells into syngeneic C57BL/6N^su9-DsRed2 mice that express red fluorescent protein in their mitochondria. We document that mtDNA is acquired by transfer of whole mitochondria from the host animal, leading to normalisation of mitochondrial respiration. Additionally, knockdown of key mitochondrial complex I (NDUFV1) and complex II (SDHC) subunits by shRNA in B16ρ⁰ cells abolished or significantly retarded their ability to form tumours. Collectively, these results show that intact mitochondria with their mtDNA payload are transferred in the developing tumour, and provide functional evidence for an essential role of oxidative phosphorylation in cancer.

Aims: Expression of the HER2 oncogene in breast cancer is associated with resistance to treatment, and Her2 may regulate bioenergetics. Therefore, we investigated whether disruption of the electron transport chain (ETC) is a viable strategy to eliminate Her2 ^high disease. Results: We demonstrate that Her2 ^high cells and tumors have increased assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) and increased complex I-driven respiration in vitro and in vivo . They are also highly sensitive to MitoTam, a novel mitochondrial-targeted derivative of tamoxifen. Unlike tamoxifen, MitoTam efficiently suppresses experimental Her2 ^high tumors without systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, MitoTam inhibits complex I-driven respiration and disrupts respiratory SCs in Her2 ^high background in vitro and in vivo , leading to elevated reactive oxygen species production and cell death. Intriguingly, higher sensitivity of Her2 ^high cells to MitoTam is dependent on the mitochondrial fraction of Her2. Innovation: Oncogenes such as HER2 can restructure ETC, creating a previously unrecognized therapeutic vulnerability exploitable by SC-disrupting agents such as MitoTam. Conclusion: We propose that the ETC is a suitable therapeutic target in Her2 ^high disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal . 26, 84–103.

Fibrillarin is a well conserved methyltransferase involved in several if not all of the more than 100 methylations sites in rRNA which are essential for proper ribosome function. It is mainly localized in the nucleoli and Cajal bodies inside the cell nucleus where it exerts most of its functions. In plants, fibrillarin binds directly the guide RNA together with Nop56, Nop58 and 15.5ka proteins to form a snoRNP complex that selects the sites to be methylated in pre-processing of ribosomal RNA. Recently, the yeast counterpart NOP1 was found to methylate histone H2A in the nucleolar regions. Here we show that plant fibrillarin can also methylate histone H2A. In Brassica floral meristem cells the methylated histone H2A is mainly localized in the nucleolus but unlike yeast or human cells it also localize in the periphery of the nucleus. In specialized transport cells the pattern is altered and it exhibits a more diffuse staining in the nucleus for methylated histone H2A as well as for fibrillarin. Here we also show that plant fibrillarin is capable of interacting with H2A and carry out its methylation in the rDNA promoter.