The role of mitochondrial dNTP levels in cells with reduced TK2 activity

Both the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depend on separate balanced pools of dNTPs for correct function of DNA replication and repair of DNA damage. Import of dNTPs from the cytosolic compartment to the mitochondria has been suggested to have the potential of rectifying a mitochondrial dNTP imbalance. Reduced TK2 activity has been demonstrated to result in mitochondrial dNTP imbalance and consequently mutations of mtDNA in non-dividing cells. In this study, the consequences of a reduced thymidine kinase 2 (TK2) activity were measured in proliferating HeLa cells, on both whole-cell as well as mitochondrial dNTP levels. With the exception of increased mitochondrial dCTP level no significant difference was found in cells with reduced TK2 activity. Our results suggest that import of cytosolic dNTPs in mitochondria of proliferating cells can compensate a TK2 induced imbalance of the mitochondrial dNTP pool.