OPA1

By Jamshed Arslan Pharm.D.

Bcl-2 nineteen-kilodalton interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) is a pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein. BNIP3 localizes to the mitochondrial membrane where it plays a key role in mitochondrial autophagy and cell death pathways. Similar to other Bcl-2 family members, BNIP3 binds to Bcl-2 and can activate the downstream effectors of Bax/Bak.

OPA1 belongs to the Dynamin large GTPase protein family. OPA1 exists as a single-pass membrane protein localized in the mitochondrial inner membrane and also as a soluble form in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. There, it is a key player in fusion of the inner mitochondrial membrane as well as maintenance of the cristae architecture. The oligomerization of differentially processed forms of OPA1 directs mitochondrial membrane formation.