Our body is made up of cells which require energy and this is provided by little cellular compartments called Mitochondria. It uses body chemicals obtained from breakdown of food to make a molecule that is the energy currency of all cells.
Mitochondria also controls availability and flow of many important nutrients, minerals and chemicals needed by our body. Problems with mitochondria, including loss of efficiency of energy production has been directly linked to major diseases like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative and neurological diseases and blindness, among others.
A dysfunctional mitochondria means not only energy production is compromised but will result in release harmful chemicals that damage (or kill) cells. Scientists have long been intrigued as to how cells control the efficiency of this intricate electron chain and energy production.
‘Crowding’ mitochondrial membrane
Researches working at University of Hyderabad and Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative medicine (inStem, Bengaluru) discovered that cells control the working of the energy production, simply by tuning the ‘crowding’ or packing of the inner mitochondrial membrane, the site for ‘energy’ production, said an official release.
Whenever there is need for more energy, cells appear to reduce the crowding at the mitochondrial inner layer which uses oxygen we breathe in. It is done through tiny particles called as electron transport chain converting oxygen to water. More crowded membranes will mean slower movement of carrier molecules, and maybe less efficient energy production. A less crowded membrane meant faster transport of carrier molecules and more efficient energy production.
Diagnostic assay
Researchers were able to find this by designing and developing an indigenous tool-chest of fluorescent (light emitting) molecules that precisely reports on crowding of molecules at the inner layer, combined with cutting-edge microscopy. They are now exploring if these fluorescent probes could be used for visualizing stress and damage in cells, and build diagnostic assays for early detection of warning signs of tissue damage and disease. It could may also help in cell therapy or using cellular assays for drug screening.
Akash Gulyani of UoH led the research team with other members being Gaurav Singh, Geen George, K. Ponnuvel Kandaswamy, Sufi Raja, Manoj Kumar, Sunil Laxman and Shashi Thuttupali. The work was funded by Department of Biotechnology, inStem, Institute of Eminence Directorate and UoH School of Life Sciences, and was published in the journal Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (USA), https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2213241120.
