Mitochondria go through cycles of fusion and fission. The yeast dynamin-related protein, Dnm1, localizes to sites of membrane fission and fusion. Hinshaw and coworkers solve the structure of Dnm1-lipid tubes by cryo-EM and compare it to dynamin. Upon GTP addition, the Dnm1-lipid tubes constrict by ~50 nm, reducing the underlying lipid membrane. This suggests that Dnm1 has the ability to impart a large contractile force during mitochondrial division.
- Jason A Mears
- Laura L Lackner
- Jenny E Hinshaw
