TY - JOUR
T1 - Mitochondria Are Fundamental for the Emergence of Metazoans
T2 - On Metabolism, Genomic Regulation, and the Birth of Complex Organisms
AU - Medini, Hadar
AU - Cohen, Tal
AU - Mishmar, Dan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Annual Reviews Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/11/23
Y1 - 2020/11/23
N2 - Out of many intracellular bacteria, only the mitochondria and chloroplasts abandoned their independence billions of years ago and became endosymbionts within the host eukaryotic cell. Consequently, one cannot grow eukaryotic cells without their mitochondria, and the mitochondria cannot divide outside of the cell, thus reflecting interdependence. Here, we argue that such interdependence underlies the fundamental role of mitochondrial activities in the emergence of metazoans. Several lines of evidence support our hypothesis: (a) Differentiation and embryogenesis rely on mitochondrial function; (b) mitochondrial metabolites are primary precursors for epigenetic modifications (such as methyl and acetyl), which are critical for chromatin remodeling and gene expression, particularly during differentiation and embryogenesis; and (c) mitonuclear coregulation adapted to accommodate both housekeeping and tissue-dependent metabolic needs. We discuss the evolution of the unique mitochondrial genetic system, mitochondrial metabolites, mitonuclear coregulation, and their critical roles in the emergence of metazoans and in human disorders.
AB - Out of many intracellular bacteria, only the mitochondria and chloroplasts abandoned their independence billions of years ago and became endosymbionts within the host eukaryotic cell. Consequently, one cannot grow eukaryotic cells without their mitochondria, and the mitochondria cannot divide outside of the cell, thus reflecting interdependence. Here, we argue that such interdependence underlies the fundamental role of mitochondrial activities in the emergence of metazoans. Several lines of evidence support our hypothesis: (a) Differentiation and embryogenesis rely on mitochondrial function; (b) mitochondrial metabolites are primary precursors for epigenetic modifications (such as methyl and acetyl), which are critical for chromatin remodeling and gene expression, particularly during differentiation and embryogenesis; and (c) mitonuclear coregulation adapted to accommodate both housekeeping and tissue-dependent metabolic needs. We discuss the evolution of the unique mitochondrial genetic system, mitochondrial metabolites, mitonuclear coregulation, and their critical roles in the emergence of metazoans and in human disorders.
KW - chromatin
KW - differentiation
KW - embryogenesis
KW - metazoans
KW - mitochondria
KW - transcriptional regulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096815554&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-genet-021920-105545
DO - 10.1146/annurev-genet-021920-105545
M3 - Review article
C2 - 32857636
AN - SCOPUS:85096815554
SN - 0066-4197
VL - 54
SP - 151
EP - 166
JO - Annual Review of Genetics
JF - Annual Review of Genetics
ER -