Background There is no evidence to date on whether transcriptional regulators are able to shift the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission events through selective control of gene expression. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we demonstrate that reduced mitochondrial size observed in knock-out mice for the transcriptional regulator PGC-1β is associated with a selective reduction in Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) expression, a mitochondrial fusion protein. This decrease in Mfn2 is specific since expression of the remaining components of mitochondrial fusion and fission machinery were not affected. Furthermore, PGC-1β increases mitochondrial fusion and elongates mitochondrial tubules. This PGC-1β-induced elongation specifically requires Mfn2 as this process is absent in Mfn2-ablated cells. Finally, we show that PGC-1β increases Mfn2 promoter activity and transcription by coactivating the nuclear receptor Estrogen Related Receptor α (ERRα). Conclusions/Significance Taken together, our data reveal a novel mechanism by which mammalian cells control mitochondrial fusion. In addition, we describe a novel role of PGC-1β in mitochondrial physiology, namely the control of mitochondrial fusion mainly through Mfn2.
Mitochondrial Fusion Is Increased by the Nuclear Coactivator PGC-1β
M. Liesa,B. Borda-d'Água,G. Medina-Gómez,C. Lelliott,J. C. Paz,M. Rojo,M. Palacín,A. Vidal-Puig,A. Zorzano
Published 2008 in PLoS ONE
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
2008
- Venue
PLoS ONE
- Publication date
2008-10-31
- Fields of study
Biology, Medicine
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
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