Mitochondrial quality control pathways: PINK1 acts as a gatekeeper

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018 May 27;500(1):45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.06.096. Epub 2017 Jun 21.

Abstract

Mitochondria have a pivotal role in the maintenance of cell homeostasis and survival. Mitochondria are involved in processes such as ATP production, reactive oxygen species production, apoptosis induction, calcium homeostasis and protein degradation. Thus, mechanisms that regulate the intrinsic quality of mitochondria have a crucial role in dictating overall cell fate. The importance of these well-regulated mechanisms is highlighted in disease scenarios such as neurodegeneration, cancer and neuromuscular atrophy. How mitochondria senses and regulates their intrinsic quality control, and consequently cell survival, is still not fully understood. In this review, we discuss the pathways that are at present considered as state-of-the-art for mitochondria quality control regulation, and highlight a mitochondrial protein-PINK1-that has revealed to act as a mitochondrial gatekeeper able to sense the presence of healthy or damaged mitochondria.

Keywords: Mitochondria; Mitophagy; PINK1; Quality control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Dynamins
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / genetics
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Homeostasis / genetics
  • Humans
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / genetics*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Mitophagy / genetics*
  • Muscular Atrophy / genetics*
  • Muscular Atrophy / metabolism
  • Muscular Atrophy / pathology
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / genetics*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology
  • Protein Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • parkin protein
  • Protein Kinases
  • PTEN-induced putative kinase
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • MFN2 protein, human
  • RHOT1 protein, human
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins
  • DNM1L protein, human
  • Dynamins