Mitochondria contact lipid droplets through the mitochondrial import complex binding to lipid metabolism enzyme Ayr1 - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #lipid metabolism
- #cellular biology
- #mitochondria
- Mitochondria contact lipid droplets through the mitochondrial import (MIM) complex binding to lipid metabolism enzyme Ayr1.
- The MIM complex, known for importing outer-membrane proteins, also plays a key role in lipid-droplet homeostasis.
- Ayr1 captures the MIM complex, promoting mitochondria-lipid droplet contact sites and enhancing lipid droplet numbers in cells.
- Ayr1 binds to MIM via a hydrophobic segment in a substrate-mimicry mechanism but remains bound without being released into the outer membrane.
- Different MIM complexes mediate functional diversity: MIM-Ayr1 for lipid droplet recruitment and MIM-preprotein for protein insertion into the outer membrane.
- The study uncovers translocase capture as a mechanism for converting a membrane protein complex's function from protein insertion to lipid metabolism.