Mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis: a painful separation.
Reporting in Molecular Cell, Sheridan et al. (2008) and Breckenridge et al. (2008) show that mitochondrial fragmentation is not required to induce cell death. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi et al. show that proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members promote cytochrome c mobilization through Opa1-mediated cristae remodeling. Therefore, the connection between mitochondrial structure and apoptosis is more complex than previously imagined.
James
Dominic I
DI
Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
Martinou
Jean-Claude
JC
Department of Cell Biology, University of Geneva, 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland. Electronic address: jean-claude.martinou@cellbio.unige.ch.
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D045304:Cytochromes c