Description
Mitochondria serve as the epicentre of energy production of the eukaryotic cell, generating most of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) required for cellular processes. This energy conversion is carried out by the respiratory chain complexes, including the electron transport chain (ETC) and F_0 F_1-ATP synthase, which are located within specialized invagination of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), called cristae. The architecture of the cristae is dynamically regulated and closely associated with metabolic efficiency, cellular homeostasis and pathology. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern and modulate cristae morphology is therefore essential.
The roles of the Mitochondrial Contact Site and Cristae Organizing System (MICOS) and F_0 F_1-ATP synthase in shaping cristae architecture are well accepted, whereas the ETC complexes are most commonly regarded as stabilizing structures of the laminar regions of the cristae. However, recent studies suggest that certain ETC complexes may also induce local membrane curvature through the formation of super-complexes, a phenomenon that has not yet been well characterized. This project provides a new framework for understanding how the respiratory machinery shapes its own functional landscape and contributes to mitochondrial membrane remodelling. By employing coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations using the Martini 3 force field to quantify membrane curvature induced by ETC complex 〖CIII〗_2 in a biomimetic lipid membrane, this project reveals a critical piece of the larger puzzle regarding mitochondrial morphogenesis.
| Field of study | Biophysics |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Weria Pezeshkian and Isabell Lindahl |