Ablation of FAM210A in brown adipocytes of mice exacerbates high fat diet induced metabolic dysfunction.

Thermogenesis of brown adipose tissues (BAT) provides metabolic benefits against pathological conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The thermogenic function of BAT relies on mitochondria, but whether mitochondrial remodeling is required for the beneficial effects of BAT remains unclear. We have recently identified FAM210A as a BAT-enriched mitochondrial protein essential for cold-induced thermogenesis through the modulation of OPA1-dependent cristae remodeling.

PRMT5 mediates FoxO1 methylation and subcellular localization to regulate lipophagy in myogenic progenitors.

Development is regulated by various factors, including protein methylation status. While PRMT5 is well known for its roles in oncogenesis by mediating symmetric di-methylation of arginine, its role in normal development remains elusive. Using Myod1 to drive Prmt5 knockout in embryonic myoblasts (Prmt5), we dissected the role of PRMT5 in myogenesis.

FAM210A is essential for cold-induced mitochondrial remodeling in brown adipocytes.

Cold stimulation dynamically remodels mitochondria in brown adipose tissue (BAT) to facilitate non-shivering thermogenesis in mammals, but what regulates mitochondrial plasticity is poorly understood. Comparing mitochondrial proteomes in response to cold revealed FAM210A as a cold-inducible mitochondrial inner membrane protein. An adipocyte-specific constitutive knockout of Fam210a (Fam210a) disrupts mitochondrial cristae structure and diminishes the thermogenic activity of BAT, rendering the Fam210a mice vulnerable to lethal hypothermia under acute cold exposure.

PRMT5 links lipid metabolism to contractile function of skeletal muscles.

Skeletal muscle plays a key role in systemic energy homeostasis besides its contractile function, but what links these functions is poorly defined. Protein Arginine Methyl Transferase 5 (PRMT5) is a well-known oncoprotein but also expressed in healthy tissues with unclear physiological functions. As adult muscles express high levels of Prmt5, we generated skeletal muscle-specific Prmt5 knockout (Prmt5 ) mice.

Chchd10 is dispensable for myogenesis but critical for adipose browning.

The Chchd10 gene encodes a coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix-domain containing protein predicted to function in the mitochondrion and nucleus. Mutations of Chchd10 are associated with ALS, dementia and myopathy in humans and animal models, but how knockout of Chchd10 (Chchd10) affects various tissues especially skeletal muscle and adipose tissues remains unclear. Here we show that Chchd10 expression increases as myoblasts and preadipocytes differentiate.

LETMD1 is required for mitochondrial structure and thermogenic function of brown adipocytes.

Obesity and metabolic disorders caused by energy surplus pose an increasing concern within the global population. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy through mitochondrial non-shivering thermogenesis, thus representing a powerful agent against obesity. Here we explore the novel role of a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, LETM1-domain containing 1 (LETMD1), in BAT.