Mootha, Vamsi, Mitochondria
<p>August 19, 2019, 3:47 PM</p>
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<p>listen to interview of Vamsi Mootha by Peter Attia (on his podcast, 2019)</p>
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<p>lab is at MGH. par tof the Broad Metabolism Program at Harvard.</p>
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<p>generates the bulk of ATP and central role in apoptosis, ion homeostasis, intermed metab and biosynthesis. Also mitoch dysfunction involved in DM, neurodegen, cancer, and aging.</p>
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<p class="bodytext">Our laboratory focuses on mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell. These organelles are found in <strong>virtually all of our body’s cells</strong> and are responsible for generating the<strong> bulk of cellular ATP. In addition, the organelle plays a central role in apoptosis, ion homeostasis, intermediary metabolism, and </strong><strong>biosynthesis.</strong> Studies during the past 25 years have demonstrated a clear role of the mitochondrion in rare, inborn errors of metabolism. More recent studies, including those from our group, have implicated <strong>mitochondrial dysfunction in a variety of common human diseases, such as diabetes, neurodegeneration, cancer, and the aging process </strong>itself.</p>
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<p class="bodytext">Mitochondria are dynamic. Their protein composition and functional properties vary across cell types, remodel during development, and respond to external stimuli. Mitochondria contain their own genome (referred to as mtDNA) which encodes a mere 13 proteins. All the other estimated<strong> 1000+ proteins are encoded in the nuclear genome </strong>and imported into this cellular compartment.</p>