Work

Making heads or tails of phospholipids in mitochondria

Year: 2011

Type: review

Abstract: Mitochondria are dynamic organelles whose functional integrity requires a coordinated supply of proteins and phospholipids. Defined functions of specific phospholipids, like the mitochondrial signature lipid cardiolipin, are emerging in diverse processes, ranging from protein biogenesis and energy production to membrane fusion and apoptosis. The accumulation of phospholipids within mitochondria depends on interorganellar lipid transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria as well as intramitochondrial lipid trafficking. The discovery of proteins that regulate mitochondrial membrane lipid composition and of a multiprotein complex tethering ER to mitochondrial membranes has unveiled novel mechanisms of mitochondrial membrane biogenesis.

Source: The Journal of Cell Biology

DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201006159

Authors: Christof Osman, Dennis R. Voelker, Thomas Langer

Institutions: University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases, National Jewish Health, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing

Language: English

Topic: Mitochondrial Function and Pathology

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: G2425852292, Phospholipid Dynamics in Membrane Assembly, G7752045912, G9000202331