Rhes, a striatal-enriched protein, promotes mitophagy via Nix

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912868116
• Publication Date: 2019-11-01T23:45:13Z
• Authors: Manish Sharma; Uri Nimrod Ramíre...; Oscar Rivera; Melissa Kazantzis; Mehdi Eshraghi; Neelam Shahani; Vishakha Sharma; Ricardo Tapia; Srinivasa Subrama...
• Keywords: Mice, Knockout; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Mitophagy; Membrane Proteins; Biological Sciences; Nitro Compounds; Corpus Striatum; Cell Line; Mitochondria; 3. Good health; Mitochondrial Proteins; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; GTP-Binding Proteins; Animals; Propionates; Lysosomes

Significance Damaged mitochondria are eliminated by lysosomes, a process called mitophagy. However, the brain tissue specific roles and mechanisms of mitophagy remain unknown. We report that Rhes, protein highly enriched in striatum, eliminates damaged via mitophagy, function may regulate optimum number striatum. when irreversibly damaged, as presence 3-NP (an inhibitor complex II, SDH), Rhes exacerbates association with Nix, receptor promotes cell death. Intriguingly, can travel membranous protrusions from healthy to neighboring interacts Nix. Collectively, acts “mitochondrial surveillant,” excessive account for striatal vulnerability brain.