Calcium Uptake Protein 1, Mitochondrial (MICU1)

Mitochondrial calcium uptake is present in nearly all vertebrate tissues and is believed to be critical in shaping calcium signaling, regulating ATP synthesis and controlling cell death. Calcium uptake occurs through a channel called the uniporter that resides in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Used comparative genomics to identify MICU1 and MCU as the key regulatory and putative pore-forming subunits of this channel, respectively. MICU1 is an essential gatekeeper for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake that regulates cell survival.
Northern blot analysis detected 1.8- and 3.5-kb CBARA1 transcripts in an epithelial cell line but not in endothelial cells. Immunoblot analysis showed reactivity of AD sera but not systemic lupus erythematosus sera with CBARA1.