Compartmentalizing and connecting the mitochondrial collective through pearling and bridging

Mitochondria form dynamic networks, transitioning between a highly interconnected reticulum and a collection of dissociated rod-shaped individuals. How these dynamics serve the mitochondrial life cycle of proliferation and quality control remains poorly understood. Moreover, mitochondria can form homotypic membrane contact sites which bridge neighboring organelles - yet their function, protein identity, and structure remain enigmatic. We combine live-cell phase and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, and cryo-electron tomography to dissect the impacts of bridging and pearling on the mitochondrial collective.

Speaker: Suliana Manley, Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (EPFL)