In vivo functions of Drp1: lessons learned from yeast genetics and mouse knockouts

Abstract

Mitochondria grow, divide, and fuse in cells. Mitochondrial division is critical for the maintenance of the structure and function of mitochondria. Alterations in this process have been linked to many human diseases, including peripheral neuropathies and aging-related neurological disorders. In this review, we discuss recent progress in mitochondrial division by focusing on molecular and in vivo analyses of the evolutionarily conserved, central component of mitochondrial division, dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), in the yeast and mouse model organisms.

Keywords: Dynamin-related GTPase; Membrane fission; Mitochondrion; Mouse; Neurodegeneration; Yeast.