Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

First Advisor

Robert Gilkerson

Second Advisor

Michael Persans

Third Advisor

Yonghong Zhang

Abstract

Mitochondria are responsible for energy production, cellular signaling, metabolic regulation, and cellular differentiation. To accomplish these vital functions, mitochondria undergo structural changes, such as fission (fragmentation) and fusion (formation of the mitochondrial network); both processes are fundamental to energy production. During myogenic differentiation, C2C12 myoblasts form muscle fiber-like myotubes. This developmental process requires mitochondrial remodeling during the formation of multinucleated myotubes. Here, we investigate the effects of chloramphenicol (CAP), a mitochondrial ribosome inhibitor, on the differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts. CAP inhibits mtDNA-encoded protein expression, which is required to assemble various protein complexes involved in the electron transport chain (ETC), thus compromising oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). We hypothesize that CAP treatment of C2C12 myoblasts will negate their differentiation. Our data suggests that CAP-treated C2C12s fail to differentiate into myotubes, with little expression of myosin heavy chain (MyHC). This work explores the necessity of mitochondrial DNA-encoded proteins for myogenic differentiation.

Comments

Copyright 2026 Jaime Ramirez. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3409162494

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