title: ER-associated mitochondrial division links the distribution of mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA in yeast.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology , University of California, Davis , Davis , United States.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murley
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Gia K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Voeltz
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nunnari
mesh_terms: D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D063154:Mitochondrial Dynamics; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; C120472:GEM1 protein, S cerevisiae; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
keywords: ERMES; Gem1; Miro; S. cerevisiae; mitochondria; mitochondrial DNA