The current manuscript investigated the mitochondrial respiration of wild-derived Mus musculus (n = 7, male = 5, female = 2; age = 1.30 ± 0.2 years) in a mobile mitochondrial physiology laboratory (Figure 1). To measure skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration, the entire hindlimb, thus aerobic and anaerobic muscle, was used for mitochondrial isolation (Figure 2). Examples of raw mitochondrial respiration data are shown in Figure 3. Figure 3A and Figure 3B represent complex I-driven mitochondrial respiration. The steep slope observed in Figure 3A represents the high maximal respiration rate. This is the value used for further data analysis. The successful isolation of mitochondria from the hindlimb skeletal muscle is observed by the sharp turn and the stabilization of a new slope, which determines state 4 (Figure 3B).
These data can also be interpreted as the mitochondria being high functioning due to the sharp turn to establish state 4. A similar pattern can be observed for complex II-driven mitochondrial respiration (Figure 3C and Figure 3D). Figure 3E,F demonstrate poor functioning mitochondria, either due to mitochondrial physiology or unsuccessful mitochondrial respiration. Figure 3E shows the coupling of the mitochondria for complex I-driven mitochondrial respiration, as seen by the turn to state 4. However, Figure 3F demonstrates uncoupled complex II mitochondrial respiration, as demonstrated by a flat line after the addition of ADP, and no "turn" to produce state 4 data. These data would suggest possible problems during mitochondrial isolation, which are discussed below.
The numerical values of state 3, state 4, and RCR for both complex I and complex II of these animals can be found in Figure 4. These data were determined by measuring 30 s of the steepest slope after the addition of ADP to determine state 3 (Figure 3A,C) and measuring the slope after the "turn" for 1 min to measure state 4 (Figure 3B,D). Once these values were obtained, the data were normalized to protein content (via Bradford assay22). Using the normalized values, the RCR was calculated by dividing the normalized state 3 value by the normalized state 4 value.

Figure 1: The AU MitoMobile, a mobile mitochondrial physiology laboratory. (A) The outside of the AU MitoMobile. (B) The inside of the vehicle looking at the front where no changes were made. (C) The rear of the vehicle showing the installment of the benches, storage compartments, and centrifuge. (D) The setup of the equipment during data collection. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 2: Mitochondrial isolation and respiration measurement procedure in skeletal muscle. (1) Tissue is dissected from the animal and placed in buffer where it is (2) minced, homogenized, treated with protease, and subjected to centrifugation until the mitochondrial pellet is obtained. (3) The mitochondria pellet is resuspended, and respiration data are obtained. (4) Oxygen consumption data can be used to calculate state 3, state 4, and RCR. Abbreviation: RCR = respiratory control ratio. Created with BioRender.com. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 3: Mitochondrial respiration measurements with complex I and complex II substrates. Oxygen consumption with complex I substrates, highlighting the slope analysis of state 3 (A) and state 4 (B). Oxygen consumption with complex II substrates, highlighting the slope analysis of state 3 (C) and state 4 (D). Suboptimal mitochondrial respiration can be seen in complex I-driven respiration (E) and complex II-driven respiration (F). Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 4: Data collected on house mice (Mus musculus) in the AU MitoMobile. Mitochondrial isolation and respiration were performed using the procedure described here. Pyruvate, malate, and glutamate were used to determine complex I respiration rates. Succinate and rotenone were used to measure complex II respiration rates. (A) Complex I state 3 measurements, (B) complex I state 4 measurements, (C) complex I RCR, (D) complex II state 3 measurements, (E) complex II state 4 measurements, and (F) complex II RCR. Abbreviation: RCR = respiratory control ratio. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
| Mitochondria isolation buffer for skeletal muscle |
| Reagent | with BSA, concentration (mM) | without BSA, concentration (mM) |
| KCl | 100 | 100 |
| Tris-HCl | 40 | 40 |
| Tris-Base | 10 | 10 |
| MgCl2 | 1 | 1 |
| EGTA | 1 | 1 |
| ATP | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Fatty acid-free BSA | 0.15% | - |
| Isolated mitochondria resuspension buffer for skeletal muscle |
| Reagent | Concentration (mM) | |
| Mannitol | 220 | |
| Sucrose | 70 | |
| Tris-HCl | 10 | |
| EGTA | 1 | |
Table 1: Mitochondria isolation buffers (with and without BSA) and isolated mitochondria resuspension buffer for skeletal muscle.
| Respiration buffer | |
| Reagent | Concentration (mM) |
| KCl | 100 |
| MOPS | 50 |
| KH2PO4 | 10 |
| Glucose | 20 |
| MgCl2 | 10 |
| EGTA | 1 |
| Fatty acid-free BSA | 0.20% |
| Respiration substrates |
| Reagent | Concentration (mM) |
| Pyruvate | 200 |
| Malate | 200 |
| Succinate | 500 |
| ADP | 100 |
| Glutamate | 1000 |
Table 2: Respiration buffer and substrates.
| State 3 | State 4 | RCR | Study | Substrates |
| 368.3±80.4 | 68.9±25.0 | 5.8±1.6 | 12 | 2 mM pyruvate, 2 mM malate |
| 241.8±22.5 | 28.9±3.2 | 8.3±1.9 | 23 | 5 mM pyruvate, 2 mM malate |
| 285.7±36.5 | 81.9±2.9 | 3.5±1.0 | 23 | 10 mM succinate, 4 µM rotenone |
| 493.4±105.4 | 61.3±9.6 | 8.2±2.2 | Current Study | 2mM pyruvate, 2mM malate, 10 mM glutamate |
| 559.5±74.9 | 165.2±18.5 | 3.4±0.2 | Current Study | 5 mM succinate, 4 µg/µL rotenone |
Table 3: Comparative values of state 3, state 4, and RCR. Abbreviation: RCR = respiratory control ratio. State 3 and state 4 values shown in nmoles O2/mg protein/min.