Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The mitochondrial uncoupling proteins.

Amalia Ledesma1, Mario García de Lacoba, Eduardo Rial

  • 1Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Velázquez 144, 28006 Madrid, Spain.

Genome Biology
|January 23, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulate mitochondrial proton gradients for functions like thermogenesis. Their structure, diverse gene families across species, and unique mitochondrial targeting are key to their roles.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The DdD protein confers intracellular and extracellular immunity to the leaderless bacteriocin enterocin DD14.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same author

Computational Study of a Versatile Lipase for the Degradation of Polylactic Acid.

ACS omega·2025
Same author

Human Small Airway Epithelia Reveal Dichloroacetate as a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Against Respiratory Viruses.

International journal of molecular sciences·2025
Same author

Computational design of Fusarium solani cutinase variants for efficient polylactide and polyethylene terephtalate hydrolysis.

International journal of biological macromolecules·2025
Same author

Bioenergetics of Rodent Spermatozoa.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025
Same author

SPO-Seq: An Accessible Method for Efficient Evaluation of Spo11 Catalytic Activity and Profiling Meiotic DSB Hotspots in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2024

Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Molecular and cellular physiology

Background:

  • Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are inner mitochondrial membrane transporters that dissipate the proton gradient generated by the respiratory chain.
  • This process is crucial for thermogenesis, redox balance, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction.
  • The precise function of some UCP homologs remains undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of the uncoupling protein family.
  • To detail their structural, genetic, and functional characteristics.
  • To explore their evolutionary distribution and regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and analysis of existing data on UCPs.
  • Examination of protein structure, gene families, and evolutionary presence.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of mitochondrial targeting mechanisms and regulatory pathways.

    • Main Results:

    • UCPs are integral membrane proteins (31-34 kDa) with a tripartite structure, functioning as homodimers.
    • 45 UCP genes are known, grouped into six families, with presence across mammals, fish, birds, plants, fungi, and protozoa.
    • UCPs are encoded by nuclear genes, targeted to mitochondria via specific loops without a cleavable signal, and regulated transcriptionally and post-translationally.

    Conclusions:

    • UCPs represent a conserved family of mitochondrial transporters with diverse physiological roles.
    • Their unique structure and targeting mechanisms highlight specialized mitochondrial functions.
    • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the roles of all UCP family members.