Researchers show protein controls process that goes awry in Parkinson ’s disease

As scientists work toward finding a cure for Parkinson ’s disease, one line of research that has emerged focuses on mitochondria, the structures within cells that make energy. The health of those structures is maintained through a quality control system that balances two opposite processes: fission — one mitochondrion splitting in two — and fusion — two becoming one.When there ’s a problem with fission, that system is thrown out of balance. The consequences can include neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, and other serious conditions.For years, scientists have known that one particular protein, called Drp1, is a master regulator of mitochondrial fission, but little else about how Drp1 is controlled by other proteins. Essential processes in biology are governed by complex biochemical chain reactions among such proteins. Scientists call these chain reactions signaling pathways.Now, a research collaboration led by UCLA investigators has brought new light to the mechanisms controlling Drp1 and the fission of mitochondria. The findings could advance the fight against Parkinson ’s and a variety of other diseases.The study, published today in Nature Communications, found that a protein in humans called CLUH (pronounced “clue-H”) acts to attract Drp1 to mitochondria and trigger fission. In experiments with fruit flies that were genetically engineered with an analog for Parkinson’s disease, the team showed that damage from the disease could be r...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news