Figure 1.

Modulation of fusion and fission processes. Left panel: the endoplasmic reticulum is wrapping the mitochondria in the site of fission, where polymers of dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) (main interactor in the fission process) are present. Right panel: the two different events of outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) fusion and inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) fusion are separately shown. Essentials components for OMM fusion are Mitofusins. In the IMM fusion process, instead, the role of long and short optic atrophy protein 1 (OPA1) is fundamental, as well as their interaction with cardiolipins. Green arrows point out the positive regulators of these processes, whereas the red ones represent the negative modulators.