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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

An Improved Method to Isolate Mitochondrial Contact Sites
Published on: June 16, 2023
Cytosolic signaling protein Ecsit also localizes to mitochondria where it interacts with chaperone NDUFAF1 and
Rutger O Vogel1, Rolf J R J Janssen, Mariël A M van den Brand
1Department of Paediatrics, Nijmegen Centre for Mitochondrial Disorders, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Ecsit is a cytosolic adaptor protein essential for inflammatory response and embryonic development via the Toll-like and BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) signal transduction pathways, respectively. Here, we demonstrate a mitochondrial function for Ecsit (an evolutionary conserved signaling intermediate in Toll pathways) in the assembly of mitochondrial complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase). An N-terminal targeting signal directs Ecsit to mitochondria, where it interacts with assembly chaperone NDUFAF1 in 500- to 850-kDa complexes as demonstrated by affinity purification and vice versa RNA interference (RNAi) knockdowns. In addition, Ecsit knockdown results in severely impaired complex I assembly and disturbed mitochondrial function. These findings support a function for Ecsit in the assembly or stability of mitochondrial complex I, possibly linking assembly of oxidative phosphorylation complexes to inflammatory response and embryonic development.
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