Defects in mitophagy are linked to a variety of human diseases including Parkinson’s and cardiac disorders. At present, how the damaged mitochondria are selectively recognized and targeted by Parkin is not fully understood. Miro2, a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, has been identified as a platform for Parkin translocation to damaged mitochondria. Miro2 senses both the depolarization and the Ca2+ release from mitochondria to ensure that only damaged mitochondria are targeted by Parkin for mitophagic clearance.
Source: EurekaAlert, https://www.eurekalert.org