A recent report by Filadi and colleagues reports that removal of mitofusin increases mito-ER contacts. This is interesting but puzzling. Schneeberger and colleagues (PubMed ID 24074867) also perform quantitative analysis of mito-ER contacts in vivo, in neurons, and reach the opposite conclusion: Loss of Mfn2 decreases mito-ER contacts (see Fig.6G). Any thoughts from the mito experts?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25870285
Tullio Pozzan, co-author of the Filadi et al. publication, commented on this apparent discrepancy on PubMed Commons (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=24074867). What is your opinion of his reasoning?
Regards, Christian
Tullio Pozzan, co-author of the Filadi et al. publication, commented on this apparent discrepancy on PubMed Commons (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=24074867). What is your opinion of his reasoning?
Regards, Christian
Tullio Pozzan writes "Given that Schneeberger et al, investigated the reduction in ER-mitochondria close contacts only in 18 week old mice (i.e. when obesity is evident and not after a short high fat diet treatment (4 days), when Mfn2 reduction is already visible, but obesity is not), it is not possible to distinguish whether the change in ER-mitochondria close contacts is a consequence of Mfn2 reduction or of obesity (and/or of the very complex alteration of metabolism occurring in those conditions). I agree with this argument.
We are currently looking at mitochondria-ER contacts in the brains of flies lacking mitofusin. Let's see what we get!
Sounds very interesting! Good luck with the experiments.
Regards, Christian
Yes, Mitofusin 2 is involucrated in the contact between Mitochondria and ER. I work in Mitochondrial Dynamics field. If you have any doubt, do not hesitate to contact me.
regards
agustina
I think that the answer to that question is heavily debated. Mfn2 is important for mitochondrial morphology but it is hard to say if it actually mediates direct contact with the ER or if its apparent role is secondary to mitochondrial morpholy. ER-mito contact is most accurately measured through 3d Em, as confocal seems to be insufficient and tem is too low through put and potentially biased.
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