Elena Ingerman

University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA

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Publications (7)45.87 Total impact

  • Article: Conformational changes in Dnm1 support a contractile mechanism for mitochondrial fission.
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    ABSTRACT: Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that undergo cycles of fission and fusion. The yeast dynamin-related protein Dnm1 has been localized to sites of mitochondrial division. Using cryo-EM, we have determined the three-dimensional (3D) structure of Dnm1 in a GTP-bound state. The 3D map showed that Dnm1 adopted a unique helical assembly when compared with dynamin, which is involved in vesicle scission during endocytosis. Upon GTP hydrolysis, Dnm1 constricted liposomes and subsequently dissociated from the lipid bilayer. The magnitude of Dnm1 constriction was substantially larger than the decrease in diameter previously reported for dynamin. We postulate that the larger conformational change is mediated by a flexible Dnm1 structure that has limited interaction with the underlying bilayer. Our structural studies support the idea that Dnm1 has a mechanochemical role during mitochondrial division.
    Nature Structural &#38 Molecular Biology 01/2011; 18(1):20-6. · 12.71 Impact Factor
  • Article: Chemical inhibition of the mitochondrial division dynamin reveals its role in Bax/Bak-dependent mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization.
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    ABSTRACT: Mitochondrial fusion and division play important roles in the regulation of apoptosis. Mitochondrial fusion proteins attenuate apoptosis by inhibiting release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, in part by controlling cristae structures. Mitochondrial division promotes apoptosis by an unknown mechanism. We addressed how division proteins regulate apoptosis using inhibitors of mitochondrial division identified in a chemical screen. The most efficacious inhibitor, mdivi-1 (for mitochondrial division inhibitor) attenuates mitochondrial division in yeast and mammalian cells by selectively inhibiting the mitochondrial division dynamin. In cells, mdivi-1 retards apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. In vitro, mdivi-1 potently blocks Bid-activated Bax/Bak-dependent cytochrome c release from mitochondria. These data indicate the mitochondrial division dynamin directly regulates mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization independent of Drp1-mediated division. Our findings raise the interesting possibility that mdivi-1 represents a class of therapeutics for stroke, myocardial infarction, and neurodegenerative diseases.
    Developmental Cell 03/2008; 14(2):193-204. · 14.03 Impact Factor
  • Article: In vitro assays for mitochondrial fusion and division.
    Methods in cell biology 02/2007; 80:707-20. · 2.05 Impact Factor
  • Article: Mdv1 interacts with assembled dnm1 to promote mitochondrial division.
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    ABSTRACT: The dynamin-related GTPase, Dnm1, self-assembles into punctate structures that are targeted to the outer mitochondrial membrane where they mediate mitochondrial division. Post-targeting, Dnm1-dependent division is controlled by the actions of the WD repeat protein, Mdv1, and the mitochondrial tetratricopeptide repeat-like outer membrane protein, Fis1. Our previous studies suggest a model where at this step Mdv1 functions as an adaptor linking Fis1 with Dnm1. To gain insight into the exact role of the Fis1.Mdv1.Dnm1 complex in mitochondrial division, we performed a structure-function analysis of the Mdv1 adaptor. Our analysis suggests that dynamic interactions between Mdv1 and Dnm1 play a key role in division by regulating Dnm1 self-assembly.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 02/2006; 281(4):2177-83. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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    Article: Dnm1 forms spirals that are structurally tailored to fit mitochondria.
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    ABSTRACT: Dynamin-related proteins (DRPs) are large self-assembling GTPases whose common function is to regulate membrane dynamics in a variety of cellular processes. Dnm1, which is a yeast DRP (Drp1/Dlp1 in humans), is required for mitochondrial division, but its mechanism is unknown. We provide evidence that Dnm1 likely functions through self-assembly to drive the membrane constriction event that is associated with mitochondrial division. Two regulatory features of Dnm1 self-assembly were also identified. Dnm1 self-assembly proceeded through a rate-limiting nucleation step, and nucleotide hydrolysis by assembled Dnm1 structures was highly cooperative with respect to GTP. Dnm1 formed extended spirals, which possessed diameters greater than those of dynamin-1 spirals but whose sizes, remarkably, were equal to those of mitochondrial constriction sites in vivo. These data suggest that Dnm1 has evolved to form structures that fit the dimensions of mitochondria.
    The Journal of Cell Biology 10/2005; 170(7):1021-7. · 10.26 Impact Factor
  • Article: A continuous, regenerative coupled GTPase assay for dynamin-related proteins.
    Elena Ingerman, Jodi Nunnari
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    ABSTRACT: Dynamin-related proteins (DRPs) compose a diverse family of proteins that function, through GTPase stimulated self-assembly, to remodel cellular membranes. The molecular mechanism by which DRPs mediate membrane remodeling events and the specific role of their GTPase cycle is still not fully understood. Although DRPs are members of the GTPase superfamily, they possess unique kinetic properties. In particular, they have relatively low affinity for guanine nucleotides and, under conditions that favor self-assembly, they have high rates of GTP turnover. Established fixed time point assays used for the analysis of assembly stimulated GTPase activity are prone to inaccuracies due to substrate depletion and are also limited by lack of time resolution. We describe a simple, continuous, coupled GTP regenerating assay that tackles the limitations of the fixed time point assays and can be used for the kinetic analysis of DRP GTP hydrolysis under unassembled and assembled conditions.
    Methods in Enzymology 02/2005; 404:611-9. · 2.04 Impact Factor
  • Article: The role of the dynamin-related GTPase, Dnm1, in mitochondrial division /
    Elena. Ingerman
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    ABSTRACT: Degree granted in Cell and Developmental Biology. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Davis, 2006.