FBS Colloquia No.210Laboratory of Mitochondrial Dynamics

Regulation of mitochondria-specific autophagy via an endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein biogenesis pathway

Selective clearance of excess or unhealthy mitochondria is a fundamental process conserved from yeast to humans, contributing to mitochondrial quantity and quality control. This catabolic event primarily depends on "autophagy", a cellular self-eating pathway that mediates transport of cytoplasmic components to lysosomes for degradation, and is thus called "mitophagy". Defects in mitophagy are associated with a myriad of disorders such as neurodegeneration, heart/liver failure, aging, and cancer, underscoring the physiological relevance. Previous studies have revealed multiple key molecules that establish the selectivity of mitophagy, opening a new avenue to understand the evolutionarily conserved fundamental principles of mitophagy at the molecular level. However, it still remains largely unclear how the activation of these key factors is regulated upon mitophagy. Using budding yeast as a model organism, we provide evidence suggesting an unexpected link between mitophagy and an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein biogenesis pathway. In this seminar, possible mechanisms regulating mitochondrial clearance through factors on the neighboring but distinct organelle will be discussed.