
PINK1
PDB ID: 50AT
PTEN induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) is important in the role of mitophagy, once it accumulates on the outer membrane of a damaged mitochondria, it summons PARKIN to begin the process of selective autophagy. Together, PINK1 and PARKIN work to control the quality of mitochondrias. If PINK1 is mutated, PARKIN may be unable to target damaged mitochondria or it may target healthy mitochondria. Recent studies have related PINK1 mutations to early onset Parkinson’s disease.