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Science 24 July 2009:
Vol. 325. no. 5939, pp. 403 - 404
DOI: 10.1126/science.1178016
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Perspectives

Cell Biology:

Connecting Organelles

Nils Wiedemann, Chris Meisinger, Nikolaus Pfanner

Mitochondria are organelles that form a dynamic network in most eukaryotic cell types. Although originally considered to be semi-autonomous powerhouses, they are intimately connected to the rest of the cell through metabolic and signaling pathways, and play a central role in programmed cell death (apoptosis). Sites of close proximity between mitochondria and the tubular network of the endoplasmic reticulum have long been known from electron micrographs, yet their molecular nature remained elusive. On page 477 in this issue, Kornmann et al. (1) show that a complex of proteins that controls mitochondrial shape and protein biogenesis (2–4) bridge these two organelles.

Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellforschung and Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Universität Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.

E-mail: nikolaus.pfanner{at}biochemie.uni-freiburg.de

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)