Evolutionary diversity of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter.

Science
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Calcium uptake into mitochondria occurs via a recently identified ion channel called the uniporter. Here, we characterize the phylogenomic distribution of the uniporter's membrane-spanning pore subunit (MCU) and regulatory partner (MICU1). Homologs of both components tend to co-occur in all major branches of eukaryotic life, but both have been lost along certain protozoan and fungal lineages. Several bacterial genomes also contain putative MCU homologs that may represent prokaryotic calcium channels. The analyses indicate that the uniporter may have been an early feature of mitochondria.

Year of Publication
2012
Journal
Science
Volume
336
Issue
6083
Pages
886
Date Published
2012 May 18
ISSN
1095-9203
URL
DOI
10.1126/science.1214977
PubMed ID
22605770
PubMed Central ID
PMC3518847
Links
Grant list
R01 GM097136 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
T32GM007753-33 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01GM077465 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
T32 GM007753 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01GM097136 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01 GM077465 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States