MICU1 encodes a mitochondrial EF hand protein required for Ca 2+ uptake

Mitochondrial calcium uptake has a
central role in cell physiology by
stimulating ATP production, shaping
cytosolic calcium transients and
regulating cell death. The biophysical
properties of mitochondrial calcium
uptake have been studied in detail, but
the underlying proteins remain elusive.
Here we use an integrative strategy to
predict human genes involved in
mitochondrial calcium entry based on
clues from comparative physiology,
evolutionary genomics and organelle
proteomics. RNA interference against 13
top candidates highlighted one gene,
CBARA1, that we call hereafter


Nature 467, 291-296 doi:10.1038/nature09358;