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Organelles harbour pH gradients.
Sangyoon Lee1,2, Sandip Chakraborty1,2, Soyoung Kim1,2
1Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|December 25, 2025
Summary
Cellular organelle pH is vital for function. New research reveals pH gradients within organelles like the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, challenging previous assumptions of uniform pH.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Organelle identity and function are critically dependent on pH.
- pH gradients govern protein trafficking and retention, ensuring proper compartmentalization.
- Dysregulated organelle pH is linked to various diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial distribution of pH within organelles.
- To challenge the assumption of uniform pH within cellular organelles.
- To explore the functional implications of pH gradients.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a high-resolution pH reporter (pH 5.5-10.5).
- Mapping pH across various organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and nucleolus.
Main Results:
- Discovery of significant pH gradients within single, large organelles like the ER and mitochondria.
- Identification of pH gradients in membrane-less organelles, such as the nucleolus.
- Evidence against the assumption of spatially uniform pH within organelles.
Conclusions:
- Organelle pH is not uniform and exhibits spatial gradients.
- These pH gradients may play a crucial role in organelle function and protein localization.
- Further research is needed to understand proton diffusion and its consequences within organelles.
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