A mitochondrial membrane-bridging machinery mediates signal transduction of intramitochondrial oxidation

Li Li, Devon M. Conradson, Vinita Bharat, Min Joo Kim, Chung-Han Hsieh, Paras S. Minhas, Amanda M. Papakyrikos, Aarooran Sivakumaran Durairaj, Anthony Ludlam, Katrin I. Andreasson, Linda Partridge, Michael A. Cianfrocco & Xinnan Wang; Nature Metabolism. 2021 Sep;3(9):1242-1258. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00443-2. PMID: 34504353. 

 Cysteine oxidation of MIC60, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein, triggers the formation of disulfide bonds and the physical association of MIC60 with Miro, an outer mitochondrial membrane protein. The oxidative structural change of this membrane-crossing complex ultimately elicits cellular responses that delay mitophagy, impair cellular respiration and cause oxidative stress. Blocking the MIC60–Miro interaction or reducing either protein, genetically or pharmacologically, extends lifespan and health-span of healthy fruit flies, and benefits multiple models of Parkinson’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia. Our discovery provides a molecular basis for common treatment strategies against oxidative stress.