Multiplexed quantum sensing reveals coordinated thermomagnetic regulation of mitochondria

Abstract

Mitochondria are multifunctional organelles that convert the potential energy stored in nutrients and intermediary metabolites into both heat and an electrochemical proton-motive force. However, how these outputs are synchronized in cells remains an enduring question. In this work, leveraging multiplexed nanodiamond quantum sensors to monitor both changes in temperature and magnetic field fluctuations in single primary cells obtained from diverse tissues in adult mice, we identified thermomagnetic correlation profiles uncovering a regulatory feedback loop in which the cell draws upon available intracellular iron to maintain the mitochondrial electrochemical gradient. These profiles reverse in cells derived from a mouse model of Leigh syndrome and raise the intriguing possibility that primary mitochondrial diseases can be understood as disorders of thermomagnetic homeostasis.