Mutations in mitochondrial protein CHCHD2 lead to a form of Parkinson's disease. CHCHD2 T61I mutant mice show molecular changes in the brain, altered metabolism favoring glycolysis, and disrupted mitochondrial function in dopamine neurons.
Protocol for dissection of midbrain from mice, followed by isolation of RNA from midbrain samples, reverse transcription of mRNA to cDNA, and quantitative real-time PCR for analysis of VMAT2 expression levels.
