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Mitochondrial OXPHOS complex assembly lines

Nature Cell Biology volume 20, pages 511–513 (2018)Cite this article

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Mitochondria are critical for cellular energy generation and house oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes, which are under dual genetic control. A study finds that transcript translation and complex assembly are partitioned, and OXPHOS complexes III, IV and V are built at spatially defined regions of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Mitochondria are essential for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)1. OXPHOS complexes I–IV are located in the tubular membranes of mitochondrial cristae and complex V (F1F0–ATPase) localises to cristae bends1. However, it is unclear how OXPHOS complexes are spatially assembled. Using super-resolution microscopy, Stoldt et al.2 now find that complexes III and IV commence assembly at mitochondrial inner membrane locations that are spatially distinct from their final destination. In contrast, complex V appears to assemble directly within cristae membranes. These findings provide insights into the spatial organization of membrane-protein-complex assembly within mitochondria.

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Fig. 1: Mitochondrial architecture and respiratory chain complex assembly.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Luke E. Formosa & Michael T. Ryan

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  1. Luke E. Formosa
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  2. Michael T. Ryan
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Correspondence to Michael T. Ryan.

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Formosa, L.E., Ryan, M.T. Mitochondrial OXPHOS complex assembly lines. Nat Cell Biol 20, 511–513 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-018-0098-z

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