Szewczyk Maciej, Stępień Piotr P
Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5A, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5a Pawińskiego St., 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
Postepy Biochem. 2016;62(2):158-161.
Mitochondria are not only ATP producing organelles, but they play pivotal roles in apoptosis, neurodegeneration, cancer and aging. Mammalian mitochondrial genome is a small DNA molecule of about 16.5 kb, encoding less than 20 polypeptides and a set of ribosomal RNAs and tRNAs. In order to ensure proper cell functioning a continous communication between cell nucleus and mitochondria must be maintained. This review presents novel developments in the field of nucleo-mitochondrial communications. We discuss the import of regulatory cytosolic miRNAs into mitochondria, export of RNA from mitochondria, the existence of novel 3 polypeptides encoded by the mitochondrial genome and the transfer of mitochondrial DNA to nuclear genomes. Mechanisms of these processes and their significance for cellular homeostasis are poorly known and present an important challenge for molecular biology.
线粒体不仅是产生三磷酸腺苷（ATP）的细胞器，而且在细胞凋亡、神经退行性变、癌症和衰老过程中发挥着关键作用。哺乳动物线粒体基因组是一个约16.5千碱基对（kb）的小DNA分子，编码少于20种多肽以及一组核糖体RNA和转运RNA。为确保细胞正常运作，细胞核与线粒体之间必须保持持续的通讯。本综述介绍了核-线粒体通讯领域的新进展。我们讨论了调节性胞质微小RNA（miRNA）导入线粒体、RNA从线粒体输出、线粒体基因组编码的3种新多肽的存在以及线粒体DNA向核基因组的转移。这些过程的机制及其对细胞稳态的意义尚不清楚，是分子生物学面临的一项重大挑战。
