Miro1 expression alters global gene expression, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, oxidation and cell cycle progression

Mitochondrial positioning supports localized energy and signaling requirements. Miro1 is necessary for attachment of mitochondria to microtubule motor proteins for trafficking. When Miro1 is deleted (Miro1^−/−) from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), mitochondria become sequestered to the perinuclear space, disrupting subcellular signaling gradients. Here, we show that Miro1^−/− MEFs grow slower than Miro1^+/+ and Miro1^−/− MEFs stably re-expressing a Myc–Miro1 plasmid. Miro1^−/− MEFs have a decreased percentage of cells in G1 and increased percentage of cells in S phase. We conducted the first ever RNA sequencing experiment dependent upon Miro1 expression and found differentially expressed genes related to MAPK signaling, cell proliferation and migration. ERK1 and ERK2 (ERK1/2, also known as MAPK3 and MAPK1, respectively) phosphorylation is elevated both spatially and temporally following serum stimulation in Miro1^−/− MEFs, whereas the expression levels and oxidation of the dual specificity phosphatases (DUSP1–DUSP6) is unchanged. Finally, we found the oxidation status of ERK1/2 is increased in Miro1^−/− MEFs compared to that seen in Miro1^+/+ and Myc–Miro1 MEFs. These results highlight transcriptional control based off Miro1 expression and demonstrate the dynamic regulation of ERK1/2 upon deletion of Miro1 which might support the observed cell cycle and proliferation defects.