Mitochondrial Disorders
What You'll Learn
Electron Transport Chain & Oxidative Phosphorylation
| Complex |
Name |
mtDNA-Encoded Subunits |
Inhibitor |
Clinical Associations |
| Complex I |
NADH dehydrogenase (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) |
7 subunits (ND1–ND6, ND4L) — most common site of mtDNA mutations |
Rotenone |
LHON, Leigh syndrome, MELAS |
| Complex II |
Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) |
NONE — entirely nuclear-encoded (only complex with no mtDNA subunits) |
Malonate |
Paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma (SDHB/C/D germline mutations); Leigh syndrome (rare) |
| Complex III |
Cytochrome bc1 (ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase) |
1 subunit (cytochrome b) |
Antimycin A |
Exercise intolerance, encephalomyopathy |
| Complex IV |
Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) |
3 subunits (COX I, II, III) |
Cyanide, carbon monoxide |
Leigh syndrome (SURF1), KSS, fatal infantile COX deficiency |
| Complex V |
ATP synthase (F0F1 ATPase) |
2 subunits (ATP6, ATP8) |
Oligomycin |
NARP, Leigh syndrome (MT-ATP6) |
Key Genetic Causes of Leigh Syndrome
| Gene |
Inheritance |
Complex/Enzyme |
Notes |
| MT-ATP6 | Maternal | Complex V | When heteroplasmy >90% in NARP mutation |
| SURF1 | Autosomal recessive | Complex IV assembly factor | Most common nuclear cause; relatively homogeneous phenotype |
| NDUFS4, NDUFS7, NDUFS8 | Autosomal recessive | Complex I subunits | Complex I deficiency is most common biochemical finding in Leigh |
| PDHA1 | X-linked | Pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α | PDH deficiency; responds to ketogenic diet and thiamine |
| SUCLA2 | Autosomal recessive | Succinyl-CoA ligase | mtDNA depletion; methylmalonic aciduria |
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