Uncovering new membrane shaping proteins in mitochondria

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can form a tubular, inter-connected network. This complex network contains branching points that form three-way, junction-like, structures. To form these branching points, there is a need for stabilization of high membrane curvature. However, the mechanism responsible for stabilizing such membrane regions remains unknown. Using high throughput microscopy, we are screening the whole yeast proteome looking for proteins that localize to branching points and possibly affect them. In this work, we aim to discover new membrane shaping proteins and reveal a novel mechanism for creating, and potentially regulating, mitochondria ultrastructure.