Manuel Ballester

Biografia de Manuel Ballester Boix (1919 – 2005), un dels científics catalans de major prestigi internacional. Les seves aportacions principals dins de l'àmbit de la química van ser el desenvolupament de la química percloorgànica i el descobriment dels Radicals Lliures Inerts.

Atlas-manuel d'anatomie descriptive du corps humain / par le Dr A. Prodhomme,...

Collection : Atlas-manuels de médecine

Nouveau manuel de santé ou d'ygiène domestique... / par M. Valentin,...

Collection : Bibliothèque de l'ouvrier et de l'artiste

Mitochondrial fusion is increased by the nuclear coactivator PGC-1beta

Background There is no evidence to date on whether transcriptional regulators are able to shift the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission events through selective control of gene expression. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we demonstrate that reduced mitochondrial size observed in knock-out mice for the transcriptional regulator PGC-1β is associated with a selective reduction in Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) expression, a mitochondrial fusion protein. This decrease in Mfn2 is specific since expression of the remaining components of mitochondrial fusion and fission machinery were not affected. Furthermore, PGC-1β increases mitochondrial fusion and elongates mitochondrial tubules. This PGC-1β-induced elongation specifically requires Mfn2 as this process is absent in Mfn2-ablated cells. Finally, we show that PGC-1β increases Mfn2 promoter activity and transcription by coactivating the nuclear receptor Estrogen Related Receptor α (ERRα). Conclusions/Significance Taken together, our data reveal a novel mechanism by which mammalian cells control mitochondrial fusion. In addition, we describe a novel role of PGC-1β in mitochondrial physiology, namely the control of mitochondrial fusion mainly through Mfn2.