Martin Ott lab
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mitolab.bsky.social
Martin Ott lab
@mitolab.bsky.social
Research on the biogenesis and quality control of mitochondrial proteins at Gothenburg University, Sweden
www.martinottlab.com
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
How do cells assess mtDNA quality?

Local ATP and membrane-potential gradients reflect mtDNA integrity and drive intracellular purifying selection.

We introduce FAST, a scalable mtDNA QC assay in S. cerevisiae.

Great collaboration with the Schmoller Lab.

journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
🧬⚡
Local mitochondrial physiology defined by mtDNA quality guides purifying selection
Author summary Mitochondria are essential organelles in our cells that convert nutrients into usable cellular energy. They contain their own DNA, and mutations in this DNA can compromise mitochondrial...
journals.plos.org
January 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
Oxidative phosphorylation complexes contain subunits encoded by both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. How do cells coordinate the synthesis and assembly of these complexes at the inner membrane? We teamed up with Martin Ott (@mitolab.bsky.social) to address this in two recent papers.
December 3, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Our study on the molecular function of translational activators for mitochondrial protein synthesis is published:
rdcu.be/eSWxT
A great collaboration with @stirlingchurchman.bsky.social and @sshaolab.bsky.social with structural work from our @pelleeas.bsky.social
Funded by @kawresearch.bsky.social
Translational activators align mRNAs at the small mitoribosomal subunit for translation initiation
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - Mitochondrial translational activators (TAs) facilitate transcript-specific translation. Using selective ribosome profiling and cryo-electron microscopy,...
rdcu.be
December 3, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
Online now - the Review "Interconnectivity of mitochondrial protein biogenesis and quality control" from @mitolab.bsky.social et al.

#ProteinImport #Proteaes #Proteolysis #Proteostasis

Read it here: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
October 10, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
📢 Publication Alert: We're excited to share a new study from the Langer Lab published in @nature.com! It uncovers how an excess of RNA building blocks can destabilize mitochondrial DNA, which plays a role in age-related inflammation.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ribonucleotide incorporation into mitochondrial DNA drives inflammation - Nature
Imbalanced nucleotide metabolism leads to age- and mtDNA-dependent inflammatory responses and senescence-associated secretory phenotype in senescence.
www.nature.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
Our new pre-print from the Greenberg and Churchman labs shows that activity-dependent modulation of RNA stability is a major, and underappreciated, mechanism of gene regulation in neurons. Tutorial below! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... (1/11)
HuD controls widespread RNA stability to drive neuronal activity-dependent responses
Neuronal activity shapes brain development and refines synaptic connectivity in part through dynamic changes in gene expression. While activity-regulated transcriptional programs have been extensively...
www.biorxiv.org
September 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Our new study in collaboration with the labs of Toni Barrientos (Miami) and Henning Urlaub (Göttingen) on late stages of mitoribosome assembly in yeast. Cryo-EM by our former PhD student Sorbhi and Julian from scilifelab. Funding by
@kawresearch.bsky.social
authors.elsevier.com/c/1liOmc5IDu...
authors.elsevier.com
September 2, 2025 at 11:02 AM
In a new study by our @pelleeas.bsky.social, we reveal how Mrx4 organizes translational regulation of cytochrome b synthesis at the mitoribosomal tunnel exit. Thanks @kawresearch.bsky.social for funding and @stirlingchurchman.bsky.social for the fun collaboration! academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
A molecular switch at the yeast mitoribosomal tunnel exit controls cytochrome b synthesis
Abstract. Mitochondrial gene expression needs to be balanced with cytosolic translation to produce oxidative phosphorylation complexes. In yeast, translati
academic.oup.com
July 18, 2025 at 7:35 AM
We just returned from a great retreat with the @osman-lab.bsky.social in the Austrian alps. Intensive scientific discussions on mitochondrial gene expression, fun people, delicious food and great scenery, thank you so much everyone!
June 18, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
New paper out from the Falkenberg and Gustafsson labs. Thanks to Pretzel for a successful collaboration.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Small molecules restore mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity - Nature
An activator of DNA polymerase γ restores function to disease-causing mutant variants and demonstrates a potential route to treatments for inherited mitochondrial disorders involving POLG mutations.
www.nature.com
April 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
The final version of our work on the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain is now online in @science.org 🎉
You can find the full story here www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@verenaresch.bsky.social did a wonderful job on the cover and animation, she really brought it to life 👩‍🎨
In a new Science study, cryo–electron tomography captures the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, illuminating how the coordinated action of molecular machines drives life’s fundamental energy conversion.

Learn more in this week's issue: scim.ag/3FA3Ygq
March 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by Martin Ott lab
We're on the cover of @science.org this week. Awesome work by @florentwaltz.bsky.social. #CryoET is reaching crazy resolutions inside cells, and this is just the beginning. Fantastic interpretation of the proton motive force by @verenaresch.bsky.social. Always a pleasure making #SciArt with you!🧪🧶🧬🌾
In a new Science study, cryo–electron tomography captures the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, illuminating how the coordinated action of molecular machines drives life’s fundamental energy conversion.

Learn more in this week's issue: scim.ag/3FA3Ygq
March 20, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Less than a week left to apply to the open post doc position in our lab. Join us in beautiful Gothenburg to work on an exciting project!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Postdoc on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Quality Control - Gothenburg (Stad), Västra Götaland (SE) job with University of Gothenburg | 12835658
Investigating the molecular connectivity of mitochondrial gene expression, protein biogenesis and quality control Background: Mitochondria convert ...
www.nature.com
March 3, 2025 at 11:44 AM
We have an open Postdoc position!
Join our lab in Gothenburg at the beautiful west coast of Sweden to work on an exciting project:
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Postdoc on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Quality Control - Gothenburg (Stad), Västra Götaland (SE) job with University of Gothenburg | 12835658
Investigating the molecular connectivity of mitochondrial gene expression, protein biogenesis and quality control Background: Mitochondria convert ...
www.nature.com
February 4, 2025 at 10:10 AM
A new fundamental paper from Manu Hegde´s group: Mechanism of chaperone recruitment and retention on mitochondrial precursors
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...
Mechanism of chaperone recruitment and retention on mitochondrial precursors | Molecular Biology of the Cell
Nearly all mitochondrial proteins are imported into mitochondria from the cytosol. How nascent mitochondrial precursors acquire and sustain import-competence in the cytosol under normal and stress con...
www.molbiolcell.org
January 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM