Readers scanning this issue could be excused for thinking they had picked up the Journal of Mitochondrial Biology. Three papers report on new components involved in fission of the budding yeast mitochondrial outer membrane. A fourth paper is an investigation into the function of Mgm1p, a known mitochondrial protein from budding yeast. All the papers are discussed in more detail by van der Bliek (page F1).
Mgm1p or its homologues have been reported to be localized to the mitochondrial outer membrane (in budding yeast) or mitochondrial matrix (in fission yeast). Wong et al. report, based on protease sensitivity and immunogold labeling, that Mgm1p is a peripheral membrane protein that is bound to the mitochondrial inner membrane and exposed to the intermembrane space (page 341). Mgm1p is similar to dynamin, a protein involved in pinching off endocytic vesicles,...
