Site Search
Selective degradation of Mitochondria ~Clarification of the intracellular recycling system "Autophagy"~
(2009.08.10)
The research group of Koji Okamoto, Noriko Okamoto, and Yoshinori Ohsumi of the National Institute for Basic Biology's Division of Molecular Cell Biology has clarified one aspect of the intracellular recycling system relating to the selective disposal of the organelle mitochondria. Mitochondria are essential energy producing organelles; however non-functioning mitochondria that have undergone oxidative damage must be disposed of. The group has shown for the first time that the recently discovered yeast protein atg32 acts as a "marker" for the selective disposal of damaged mitochondria. The results of this research were published in the science journal "Developmental Cell".