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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2011 Jun 12;43(10):1422–1426. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2011.06.002

Figure 1. The UPS regulates mitochondrial dynamics.

Figure 1

Major proteins involved in mitochondrial fission or fusion (e.g. Mfn1/2, Drp1 and Fis1) are degraded by the UPS. Through this regulatory process, the UPS controls mitochondrial dynamics. Parkin, an E3 ligase involved in mitophagy, utilizes the UPS to enhance mitochondrial fission through degradation of components of the fusion machinery (blue arrow). By facilitating fragmentation of damaged mitochondria, which is essential for initiation of mitophagy, Parkin stimulates mitophagy.