Biochemistry

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

Mitochondrial Transport and Inheritance

Mitochondria are essential organelles that cannot be generated de novo. Thus, transport of mitochondria from the mother to the newly formed daughter cell is an essential part of cell division. Work from our lab indicates that the Miro family of GTPases plays an important role in mitochondrial inheritance during division. The yeast Miro homolog, called Gem1p, is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein with two GTPase domains and two calcium-binding motifs. When Gem1p is absent or mutated, both mitochondrial morphology and mitochondrial movement from mother to daughter cell during division are disrupted. Studies from our lab reveal that Gem1p acts in one of three pathways that promote mitochondrial inheritance during cell division.

           Recent studies suggest that mammalian and insect homologs of Gem1p recruit molecular motors that transport mitochondria along cytoskeletal tracks. In budding yeast, however, mitochondrial movement occurs on actin filaments rather than on microtubules. Thus, attachment of mitochondria to microtubule motors is unlikely to be the conserved function of Gem1p. We are currently studying how Gem1p controls mitochondrial movement on different cytoskeletal elements in eukaryotes.

Potential Project: We are using both genetic and biochemical approaches to search for Gem1/Miro binding partners. Once identified, the functions of these binding partners will be examined in yeast and mammalian cell culture.

1/2008