Special Issue: The evolving role of mitochondria in metabolism

Gene regulatory factors encoded by the nuclear genomeare essential for mitochondrial biogenesis and function.Some of these factors act exclusively within the mito-chondria to regulate the control of mitochondrial tran-scription, translation,andotherfunctions.Othersgovernthe expression of nuclear genes required for mitochon-drial metabolism and organelle biogenesis. The peroxi-some proliferator-activated receptor g coactivator-1(PGC-1) familyoftranscriptionalcoactivatorsplayamajorrole in transducing and integrating physiological signalsgoverning metabolism,differentiation,andcellgrowthtothe transcriptional machinery controlling mitochondrialfunctional capacity.Thus,thePGC-1coactivatorsserveasa central component of the transcriptional regulatorycircuitry thatcoordinatelycontrolstheenergy-generatingfunctions of mitochondria in accordance with the meta-bolic demands imposed by changing physiological con-ditions, senescence, and disease.Regulation of mitochondrial biogenesisA set of nucleus-encoded factors coordinately regulatemitochondrial mass and function in response to a host ofenergy and growth demands, including cellular metabolicstress,