The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 22, 1999
Margaret T. Fuller, Stanford, CA (US);
Karen G. Hales, Durham, NC (US);
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Mitofusin genes and encoded polypeptides are provided, including the Drosophila Fzo protein and its homologs from insects, other invertebrates, yeast, and vertebrates including mouse and humans. Motifusins are large predicted GTPases with a predicted trans-membrane domain, coiled-coil regions, and a C-terminal region showing a high pl characteristic of mitochondrial matrix proteins. The mitofusins are the first known protein mediator of mitochondrial fusion, and mediate developmentally regulated post-meiotic fusion of mitochondria. Missense mutations that after conserved residues required for GTP binding in other GTPases inhibit the in vivo fusogenic activitiy of Fzo but do not affect its localization.