DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200604016. Structural and functional features and significance of the physical linkage between ER and mitochondria

Structural and functional features and significance of the physical linkage between ER and mitochondria

10.1083/jcb.200604016

Crossref journal-article

Rockefeller University Press

The Journal of Cell Biology (291)

Abstract

The role of mitochondria in cell metabolism and survival is controlled by calcium signals that are commonly transmitted at the close associations between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, the physical linkage of the ER–mitochondria interface and its relevance for cell function remains elusive. We show by electron tomography that ER and mitochondria are adjoined by tethers that are ∼10 nm at the smooth ER and ∼25 nm at the rough ER. Limited proteolysis separates ER from mitochondria, whereas expression of a short “synthetic linker” (&lt;5 nm) leads to tightening of the associations. Although normal connections are necessary and sufficient for proper propagation of ER-derived calcium signals to the mitochondria, tightened connections, synthetic or naturally observed under apoptosis-inducing conditions, make mitochondria prone to Ca2+ overloading and ensuing permeability transition. These results reveal an unexpected dependence of cell function and survival on the maintenance of proper spacing between the ER and mitochondria.

Bibliography

CsordaÌs, G., Renken, C., VaÌrnai, P., Walter, L., Weaver, D., Buttle, K. F., Balla, T., Mannella, C. A., & HajnoÌczky, G. (2006). Structural and functional features and significance of the physical linkage between ER and mitochondria. The Journal of Cell Biology, 174(7), 915â921.

Authors 9

György Csordás (first)
Christian Renken (additional)
Péter Várnai (additional)
Ludivine Walter (additional)
David Weaver (additional)
Karolyn F. Buttle (additional)
Tamás Balla (additional)
Carmen A. Mannella (additional)
György Hajnóczky (additional)

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Dates

Type	When
Created	18 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 18, 2006, 8:43 p.m.)
Deposited	2 years ago (July 29, 2023, 3:50 a.m.)
Indexed	9 hours, 28 minutes ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 9:38 p.m.)
Issued	18 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 18, 2006)
Published	18 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 18, 2006)
Published Online	18 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 18, 2006)
Published Print	18 years, 10 months ago (Sept. 25, 2006)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Csorda_s_2006, title={Structural and functional features and significance of the physical linkage between ER and mitochondria}, volume={174}, ISSN={0021-9525}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.200604016}, DOI={10.1083/jcb.200604016}, number={7}, journal={The Journal of Cell Biology}, publisher={Rockefeller University Press}, author={Csordás, György and Renken, Christian and Várnai, Péter and Walter, Ludivine and Weaver, David and Buttle, Karolyn F. and Balla, Tamás and Mannella, Carmen A. and Hajnóczky, György}, year={2006}, month=sep, pages={915–921} }

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