Calcium uptake protein 3, mitochondrial

UniProtKB accession:  Q86XE3

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UniProtKB description:  Tissue-specific calcium sensor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) channel, which specifically regulates MCU channel activity in the central nervous system and skeletal muscle (PubMed:29725115). Senses calcium level via its EF-hand domains: compared to MICU1 and MICU2, MICU3 has a higher affinity for calcium (PubMed:29725115). MICU1 and MICU3 form a disulfide-linked heterodimer that stimulates and inhibits MCU activity, depending on the concentration of calcium (PubMed:29725115). At low calcium levels, MICU1 occludes the pore of the MCU channel, preventing mitochondrial calcium uptake (PubMed:29725115). At higher calcium levels, calcium-binding to MICU1 and MICU3 induces a conformational change that weakens MCU-MICU1 interactions and moves the MICU1-MICU3 heterodimer away from the pore, allowing calcium permeation through the MCU channel (PubMed:29725115). The high calcium affinity of MICU3 lowers the calcium threshold necessary for calcium permeation through the MCU channel (PubMed:29725115). The MICU1-MICU3 heterodimer promotes flexibility of neurotransmission in neuronal cells by enhancing mitochondrial calcium uptake in presynapses (PubMed:29725115). It is also required to increase mitochondrial calcium uptake in skeletal muscle cells, thereby increasing ATP production (By similarity).