ER-associated mitochondrial division links the distribution of mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA in yeast.
Mitochondrial division is important for mitochondrial distribution and function. Recent data have demonstrated that ER-mitochondria contacts mark mitochondrial division sites, but the molecular basis and functions of these contacts are not understood. Here we show that in yeast, the ER-mitochondria tethering complex, ERMES, and the highly conserved Miro GTPase, Gem1, are spatially and functionally linked to ER-associated mitochondrial division. Gem1 acts as a negative regulator of ER-mitochondria contacts, an activity required for the spatial resolution and distribution of newly generated mitochondrial tips following division. Previous data have demonstrated that ERMES localizes with a subset of actively replicating mitochondrial nucleoids. We show that mitochondrial division is spatially linked to nucleoids and that a majority of these nucleoids segregate prior to division, resulting in their distribution into newly generated tips in the mitochondrial network. Thus, we postulate that ER-associated division serves to link the distribution of mitochondria and mitochondrial nucleoids in cells. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00422.001.
['Murley|Andrew|A|', 'Lackner|Laura L|LL|', 'Osman|Christof|C|', 'West|Matthew|M|', 'Voeltz|Gia K|GK|', 'Walter|Peter|P|', 'Nunnari|Jodi|J|']
D004271:DNA, Fungal D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum D008928:Mitochondria D063154:Mitochondrial Dynamics D046912:Multiprotein Complexes D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins D015398:Signal Transduction
mitochondria mitochondrial DNA ERMES Miro Gem1 S. cerevisiae