The regulation of mitochondrial physiology by organelle-associated GTP-binding proteins.
Recent studies have shown that GTP-binding proteins can modulate mitochondrial membrane fusion and fission. Furthermore, GTP-binding proteins can regulate the binding of ribosomes to the mitochondrial membrane and may facilitate the import of proteins through contact points between inner and outer mitochondrial membranes. Mitochondrial GTP-binding proteins therefore appear to have the potential to modulate physiological function of the organelle and may also be involved in cellular processes such as cellular transformation. A beginning has been made on the characterization of mitochondrial GTP-binding proteins and the DNA sequence of one protein has become newly available. Future studies are needed to determine whether GTP-binding proteins are interacting with cell signalling molecules such as protein kinases in the mitochondria.
Thomson
Murray
M
School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia. mthomson@bio.usyd.edu.au
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D004247:DNA; D011494:Protein Kinases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins