What is it about?
Mitochondria are often called the “powerhouses” of our cells because they produce the energy that keeps us alive and moving. Scientists have long thought that one of the pathways they use to make energy was just a backup system. To test this idea, we removed this pathway in fruit flies using gene editing. The result was dramatic: the flies lived much shorter lives, struggled to move, and produced far less energy. This shows that what was believed to be a secondary option is actually essential for survival. Our study changes how we think about how cells make energy and helps us better understand what happens when this process goes wrong in disease and aging.
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Why is it important?
This study challenges a long-standing assumption in biology. A pathway that has traditionally been described as secondary or “alternative” is shown here to be fundamentally important for maintaining normal energy production and survival. By directly testing its role using precise gene editing, we provide clear functional evidence rather than relying on indirect measurements. The findings are timely because mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly linked to aging, metabolic diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. Yet many mitochondrial pathways remain poorly understood. By clarifying the importance of this overlooked enzyme, our work refines current models of how cells produce and regulate energy. More broadly, this research encourages scientists to reconsider so-called “backup” systems in biology, which may in fact be essential under normal conditions. This shift in perspective could influence how future studies approach cellular energy metabolism and mitochondrial health.
Perspectives
For me, this publication goes beyond the role of a single enzyme. It speaks to a broader question that drives much of my research: how mitochondria allow organisms to adapt to changing environments. Mitochondria are not just cellular “powerhouses.” They are central hubs that help organisms adjust their metabolism when facing environmental challenges such as temperature shifts, dietary changes, or other forms of stress. This ability (often called mitochondrial flexibility) is essential for survival. Our findings reinforce the idea that pathways sometimes labeled as “alternative” may in fact be critical components of this flexibility. By demonstrating that this mitochondrial pathway is essential under normal conditions, we highlight how finely tuned and interconnected energy systems really are. From my perspective, understanding these mechanisms is key not only to basic biology and biochemistry, but also to explaining how species adapt to environmental change and why mitochondrial dysfunction can have such profound consequences. This work strengthens the idea that mitochondria sit at the heart of adaptation, resilience, and ultimately survival.
Nicolas Pichaud
Universite de Moncton
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: When alternative becomes essential: The role of mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, February 2026, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2535701123.
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