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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Studying Mitochondrial Structure and Function in Drosophila Ovaries
Published on: January 4, 2017
Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics by DISC1, a putative risk factor for major mental illness
Laura C Murphy1, J Kirsty Millar1
1Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetic and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.
Abstract:
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that are essential to power the process of neurotransmission. Neurons must therefore ensure that mitochondria maintain their functional integrity and are efficiently transported along the full extent of the axons and dendrites, from soma to synapses. Mitochondrial dynamics (trafficking, fission and fusion) co-ordinately regulate mitochondrial quality control and function. DISC1 is a component of the mitochondrial transport machinery and regulates mitochondrial dynamics. DISC1's role in this is adversely affected by sequence variants connected to brain structure/function and disease risk, and by mutant truncation. The DISC1 interactors NDE1 and GSK3β are also involved, indicating a convergence of putative risk factors for psychiatric illness upon mitochondrial dynamics.
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