The group of Yukio Fujiki, a specially appointed professor at the Institute of Biodefense Medicine, Kyushu University, succeeded in identifying the novel protein DYNAMO1 that regulates the proliferation of mitochondria and peroxisomes for the first time in the world.
The earth has been covered with high-concentration oxygen for about 23 billion years.Mitochondria use this oxygen to produce the energy essential for our vital activities.On the other hand, peroxisomes detoxify the highly toxic (active oxygen) generated during energy production.Since abnormal proliferation of mitochondria and peroxisomes causes neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, elucidation of the division mechanism is an important issue in the fields of life science including medicine.
So far, the research team has been the first in the world to clarify the existence of molecular devices involved in the division of mitochondria and peroxisomes.It has been found that the membrane is divided by the contraction of the ring-shaped structure of this device, but the details of the constituent substances and the contraction mechanism of the device were unknown.
Therefore, this time, the group took this device out of the cell, proceeded with mass spectrometry and cell structural biology analysis, succeeded in identifying the novel dividing protein DYNAMO1, and found that DYNAMO1 produces the energy required for the contraction of the device. discovered.It is suggested that the energy produced by DYNAMO1 operates the division device in the division of organelles in the same way that engines such as automobiles produce energy from petroleum.
This result is a discovery that leads to the elucidation of the basic principle of eukaryotic cells.
Paper information:[Nature Communications] Onsite GTP fuelling via DYNAMO1 drives division of mitochondria and peroxisomes
