Biochemistry

E-mail: shaw@biochem.utah.edu
Address: 14 N. Medical Drive, Rm 4100
Phone: 585-6205

Mitochondrial Dynamics in Eukaryotic Cell

Eukaryotic cells contain many membrane-bound organelles, each with a characteristic shape and distribution. Our lab is interested in how organelles establish and maintain these features. We use yeast and mammalian cells to study how mitochondrial fission, fusion and transport regulate mitochondrial function and inheritance during cell division. Our studies are directly relevant to human heath and disease, as defects in these processes cause embryonic lethality in multicellular organisms and are linked to neurological disorders in humans.

In most cells, mitochondria are organized as highly branched tubular networks.  This network is dynamic, undergoing frequent fission and fusion events and moving around on cytoskeletal tracks.  Genetic, cellular and biochemical studies from our lab reveal that fission, fusion and transport are regulated by novel GTPases that are conserved from yeast to humans.

1/2008