The discovery of mitochondrial to nuclear messenger protein


Researchers have identified a protein, G-protein pathway inhibitor 2, also known as GPS2, which moves from the mitochondria of cells to the nucleus in response to stress and fat cell differentiation. Although proteins with similar functions have previously been found in yeast and worms, this is the first direct messenger found in mammalian cells.

A mitochondrion is a two-layer membrane organelle that exists in most cells. It is the structure that makes energy in cells. It is the main place for cells to perform aerobic respiration. It is called the "powerhouse".

In addition to providing cellular energy, mitochondria also involve other tasks such as signaling, cell differentiation, and cell death, as well as control of cell cycle and cell growth. This is critical for the proper functioning of cells and tissues, and mitochondrial function and quantity defects are associated with aging and chronic diseases such as cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, and neurological diseases.

Damage and subsequent dysfunction in mitochondria are crucial factors in a range of human diseases due to their effects on cellular metabolism. Given the strong role of mitochondria as a cell, high-energy electrons in the respiratory chain may have some leakage that forms reactive oxygen species. This is thought to result in significant oxidative stress in mitochondria, with a high mutation rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Oxidative stress is a negative effect and is considered to be an important factor in aging and disease.

Mitochondria have its own genetic material and genetic system, but its genome size is limited and it is a semi-autonomous organelle. Mitochondria themselves do not store enough information to sustain their own activities or organisms. In contrast, most mitochondrial proteins are encoded by nuclear genes, meaning that most of the mitochondrial protein's genetic information is stored in nuclear DNA. Thus, when mitochondria are under pressure, they need to communicate with the nucleus so that it can respond appropriately to help restore its activity or increase the amount.

The researchers removed the GPS2 gene from the cells by gene knockout and then performed cell culture. Using a combination of imaging techniques, biochemical methods, and a new generation of sequencing experiments, they demonstrated that the total number of mitochondria in cells and adipose tissue without GPS2 is much lower than in mitochondria in normal cells. They also found that in the absence of GPS2, cells could not recover when exposed to mitochondrial pressure.

Although these findings are key to the basic understanding of cell biology and there is currently no direct translational significance, knowing how mitochondria communicate their stress and energy status to the nucleus is an important step in understanding how mitochondrial diseases are produced and how to treat them.

Furthermore, therapeutic and lifestyle interventions designed to combat obesity and improve insulin sensitivity typically rely on increased mitochondrial activity in adipose tissue. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating mitochondrial biogenesis may have important implications for transformation.

Cite this article

CUSABIO team. The discovery of mitochondrial to nuclear messenger protein. https://www.cusabio.com/c-20875.html
 

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
*
*
*CAPTCHA verification
icon of phone
Call us
301-363-4651 (Available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST from Monday to Friday)
icon of address
Address
7505 Fannin St., Ste 610, Room 7 (CUBIO Innovation Center), Houston, TX 77054, USA
icon of social media
Join us with

Subscribe newsletter

Leave a message

* To protect against spam, please pass the CAPTCHA test below.
CAPTCHA verification
© 2007-2024 CUSABIO TECHNOLOGY LLC All rights reserved. 鄂ICP备15011166号-1
webinars: DT3C facilitates antibody internalizationX