Disease-causing mutation disrupts movement of cell's 'power house'

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - 17:57 in Biology & Nature

New research shows how a mutation causes a common inherited neurodegenerative disease, according to a study in the March 24 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The study shows that the mutation of a specific protein known to cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disrupts the movement of mitochondria, the energy-supplying machines inside each cell. The regulated movement of mitochondria along nerve cell fibers is vital to normal communication between the brain and muscles.

Read the whole article on Physorg

More from Physorg

Latest Science Newsletter

Get the latest and most popular science news articles of the week in your Inbox! It's free!

Check out our next project, Biology.Net