Scientists have unveiled details on how mitochondria get the different proteins they need to function. The work was led by Vicki Gold, of the University of Exeter, and recently published in EMBO Reports.
The study shows that some of the ribosomes, which produce proteins, are actually attached to the mitochondria. This helps explains how proteins are being pushed into the mitochondria while they are being made.
"In the case of mitochondria, proteins have to cross the boundary of two membranes to get inside them. We looked for—and were able to image at [the] unprecedented detail—ribosomes attached to mitochondria," said Gold.
The researchers were able to capture the images using cryo-electron microscopy. "Mitochondria are the energy factories of the cell, so when they don't function properly it can lead to a huge range of health problems. In many cases these are age-related disorders like Parkinson's disease," noted Gold.
The next step for the researchers is to look at how the mitochondria get the different proteins they need in unhealthy cells address to understand what is going on in mitochondrial-related diseases.
Image: Ribosomes imaged on the surface of mitochondria by cryo-electron microscopy. Image courtesy of University of Exeter.