Proteins surf to mitochondria – a novel transport pathway discovered
Monday, September 17, 2018 - 07:40
in Physics & Chemistry
Prof. Johannes Herrmann, a researcher at the Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Germany, and his team discovered a novel mechanism by which newly synthesized proteins reach their respective target compartment in the cell. Proteins destined to mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse, are not directly transported to mitochondria but are directed to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, where they "surf" along its surface. As shown in Science, this so far unknown mechanism keeps newly synthesized protein transport-competent and might prevent their aggregation. Protein aggregation can be a critical problem leading to human pathologies such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.