In vivo functions of Drp1: Lessons learned from yeast genetics and mouse knockouts

•Many neurodegenerative diseases are linked to mitochondrial division.•Mitochondrial division controls mitochondrial morphology and function.•Drp1 is a central component of mitochondrial division.•Genetic studies of Drp1 using yeast and mice enhance understanding of physiological roles of mitochondrial division.

Mitochondria grow, divide, and fuse in cells. Mitochondrial division is critical for the maintenance of the structure and function of mitochondria. Alterations in this process have been linked to many human diseases, including peripheral neuropathies and aging-related neurological disorders. In this review, we discuss recent progress inmitochondrial division by focusing on molecular and invivo analyses of the evolutionarily conserved, centralcomponent of mitochondrial division, dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), in the yeast and mouse model organisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Misfolded Proteins, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Neurodegenerative Diseases.