The human body makes a special molecule from vitamin B5. This molecule, called coenzyme A, helps cells turn food into energy. If cells cannot make enough coenzyme A, many parts of the body can get sick.
Where Coenzyme A Lives
Most coenzyme A is stored inside mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny power plants inside every cell. About 95 % of the molecule sits there, but scientists did not know how it gets inside.
New Study Shows the Transport Route
A research team at Yale used a technique called mass‑spectrometry to look at all the forms of coenzyme A inside cells. They found 33 different versions in whole cells and 23 inside mitochondria.
They also discovered that the enzyme that makes coenzyme A is mostly outside mitochondria. When the researchers removed the proteins that move coenzyme A, the amount inside mitochondria fell a lot.
These results prove that coenzyme A is carried into mitochondria by special transporter proteins.
Why This Matters for Health
Problems with the transport proteins can cause disease. Mutations in the genes for these transporters are linked to a disorder called encephalomyopathy, which can cause developmental delays, seizures, and weak muscles. Other mutations that affect coenzyme A production are tied to neurodegenerative diseases.
Understanding how the molecule moves helps scientists think about new ways to treat these illnesses.
Looking Ahead
The team now wants to study how coenzyme A levels are controlled in brain cells. They hope that this knowledge will lead to better diagnosis and maybe new medicines for brain and metabolic disorders.
This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Yale University, the 1907 Foundation, the Rita Allen Foundation, and the Klingenstein‑Simons Fellowship.