Mitochondrial control of fuel switching via carnitine biosynthesis
Environmental adaptation often involves a shift in energy utilization toward mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, which requires carnitine. Besides dietary sources of animal origin, carnitine biosynthesis from trimethyllysine (TML) is essential, particularly for those who consume plant-based diets; however, its molecular regulation and physiological role remain elusive. Here, we identify SLC25A45 as a mitochondrial TML carrier that controls carnitine biosynthesis and fuel switching. SLC25A45 deficiency decreased the carnitine pool and impaired mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, shifting reliance to carbohydrate metabolism. <i>Slc25a45</i>-deficient mice were cold-intolerant and resistant to lipid mobilization by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), rendering them resistant to adipose tissue loss. Our study suggests that mitochondria serve as a regulatory checkpoint in fuel switching, with implications for metabolic adaptation and the efficacy of GLP-1RA-based anti-obesity therapy.
Authors
- Hiroshi Nishida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0284-5771)
- Lijun Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8722-6384)
- Christopher Auger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4207-9354)
- Bo Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0222-8095)
- Shingo Kajimura
- Sheng Hui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4226-6806)
- Jin-Seon Yook (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9294-6770)
- Melia Granath-Panelo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4609-2786)
- Daisuke Katoh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6576-0463)
- Alexander Banks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8019-8245)
- Mark Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7862-5460)
- Masanori Fujimoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1458-8207)
- Rose Witte (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9097-4334)
- Jihoon Shin
- Anthony R. P. Verkerke
- Dandan Wang
Institutions
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- University of Minnesota Medical Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science
- Published
- 2026-01-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady5532
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 82.00