title: The ERMES complex and ER-mitochondria connections.
abstract: Cellular organelles need to communicate in order to co-ordinate homoeostasis of the compartmentalized eukaryotic cell. Such communication involves the formation of membrane contact sites between adjacent organelles, allowing privileged exchange of metabolites and information. Using a synthetic protein designed to artificially tether the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) to mitochondria, we have discovered a yeast protein complex naturally involved in establishing and maintaining contact sites between these two organelles. This protein complex is physiologically involved in a plethora of mitochondrial processes, suggesting that ER-mitochondria connections play a central co-ordinating role in the regulation of mitochondrial biology. Recent biochemical characterization of this protein complex led to the discovery that GTPases of the Miro family are part of ER-mitochondria connections. The yeast Miro GTPase Gem1 localizes to ER-mitochondria interface and influences the size and distribution of mitochondria. Thus Miro GTPases may serve as regulators of the ER-mitochondria connection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Agnès H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kornmann
mesh_terms: D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases