The mitochondrial unfolded protein response is essential to safeguard mitochondria from proteotoxic damage by activating a dedicated transcriptional response in the nucleus to restore proteostasis. However, the mechanism how the information on mitochondria misfolding stress is transmitted to the nucleus in mammalian cells remained unclear. Christian Münch and colleagues discovered that two non-redundant signals are required to activate the transcription of genes involved in the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. These results were recently published in Nature:
Sutandy FXR, Gößner I, Tascher G, Münch C. A cytosolic surveillance mechanism activates the mitochondrial UPR. Nature 2023 Jun;618(7966):849-854. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06142-0.