Restraining the Divider: A Drp1-Phospholipid Interaction Inhibits Drp1 Activity and Shifts the Balance from Mitochondrial Fission to Fusion.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Adachi et al. (2016) describe a novel interaction between the mitochondrial fission GTPase Drp1 and phosphatidic acid that restrains Drp1 activity and shifts the balance toward mitochondrial fusion, adding another layer of complexity to the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics.