Mitophagy plays an essential role in reducing mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species and mutation of mitochondrial DNA by maintaining mitochondrial quantity and quality in yeast.

ABSTRACT: In mammalian cells, the autophagy-dependent degradation of mitochondria (mitophagy) is thought to maintain mitochondrial quality by eliminating damaged mitochondria. However, the physiological importance of mitophagy has not been clarified in yeast. Here, we investigated the physiological role of mitophagy in yeast using mitophagy-deficient atg32- or atg11-knock-out cells. When wild-type yeast cells in respiratory growth encounter nitrogen starvation, mitophagy is initiated, excess mitochondria are degraded, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production from mitochondria is suppressed; as a result, the mitochondria escape oxidative damage. On the other hand, in nitrogen-starved mitophagy-deficient yeast, excess mitochondria are not degraded and the undegraded mitochondria spontaneously age

SUBMITTER: Kurihara Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3270981 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature