Role of trans-Golgi network vesicles in mitochondrial fusion
type: CreativeWork
description: The continuous cycles of membrane fusion and fission are hallmarks of mitochondrial behaviour. In recent decades, the study of mitochondrial dynamics has come to the forefront of cell biology due to a growing recognition that the ever-changing shape of mitochondria has a basic impact on their function, affecting a range of essential processes, from energy production to endocrine signalling. Under homeostatic conditions, the processes of mitochondrial fusion and fission are balanced, creating a network of mitochondria in the cell of intermediate length and moderate interconnectivity. However, when cells are stressed, for example by nutrient surplus or deficit, the population of mitochondria fragments or elongates, respectively. While mitochondrial fusion and fission are both essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, the processes are unequal in terms of the difficulties in elucidating their underlying mechanisms. The reason for this disparity is largely due to the Abbe diffraction limit, a natural constraint on resolving objects below approximately 200 nm. This is not a significant problem for the study of mitochondrial division, because the process involves a divergence of structures, so quantification is not limited by conventional microscopy techniques. Mitochondrial fusion, on the other hand, involves the convergence of membranes, according to which it is unfeasible to distinguish genuine membrane fusion events from random collisions or stable contacts. Studies of mitochondrial division have revealed roles for other organelles in facilitating membrane scission. Whether inter-organelle contacts contribute to mitochondrial fusion remains poorly understood. The results presented here indicate that trans-Golgi network vesicles (TGNv) are recruited to mitochondrial fusion sites and accelerate the speed of fusion. Super resolution live cell imaging revealed that TGNv are recruited downstream of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), suggesting that the ER might serve as…
abstract: The continuous cycles of membrane fusion and fission are hallmarks of mitochondrial behaviour. In recent decades, the study of mitochondrial dynamics has come to the forefront of cell biology due to a growing recognition that the ever-changing shape of mitochondria has a basic impact on their function, affecting a range of essential processes, from energy production to endocrine signalling. Under homeostatic conditions, the processes of mitochondrial fusion and fission are balanced, creating a network of mitochondria in the cell of intermediate length and moderate interconnectivity. However, when cells are stressed, for example by nutrient surplus or deficit, the population of mitochondria fragments or elongates, respectively. While mitochondrial fusion and fission are both essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, the processes are unequal in terms of the difficulties in elucidating their underlying mechanisms. The reason for this disparity is largely due to the Abbe diffraction limit, a natural constraint on resolving objects below approximately 200 nm. This is not a significant problem for the study of mitochondrial division, because the process involves a divergence of structures, so quantification is not limited by conventional microscopy techniques. Mitochondrial fusion, on the other hand, involves the convergence of membranes, according to which it is unfeasible to distinguish genuine membrane fusion events from random collisions or stable contacts. Studies of mitochondrial division have revealed roles for other organelles in facilitating membrane scission. Whether inter-organelle contacts contribute to mitochondrial fusion remains poorly understood. The results presented here indicate that trans-Golgi network vesicles (TGNv) are recruited to mitochondrial fusion sites and accelerate the speed of fusion. Super resolution live cell imaging revealed that TGNv are recruited downstream of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), suggesting that the ER might serve as…
author: Segawa, Mayuko
keywords: Mitochondria, Mitochondrial fusion, trans-Golgi network vesicles, phosphatidylinositol (3,4)-bisphosphate
license: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/e21a1f94-9498-4741-9465-bc28449f65b3/download
license: http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved
date published: 2025-01-04
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:57Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.120109