Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41959481›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2026

Rab12 is a regulator of mitophagy and mitochondrial homeostasis.

Tara Richbourg, Alex George, Anas Bitar, Ian T Ryde, Casey Farrell, Tuyana Malankhanova, Jennifer Liu, Silas A Buck, Ivana Barraza, So Young Kim and 4 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Tara RichbourgDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Alex GeorgeNicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Anas BitarDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Ian T RydeNicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Casey FarrellDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Tuyana MalankhanovaDuke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Jennifer LiuDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Silas A BuckDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Ivana BarrazaDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
So Young KimDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Xiaoyan NieDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Andrew B WestDuke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
Joel N MeyerNicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1219-0983
Laurie H SandersDepartment of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.

Funding

Duke University Program in Environmental HealthT32ES021432 · NIEHS · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI Akhenaton-Andrew Dhafir Jones, Joel Newman Meyer · 2013 to 2026
$4.0M
Mechanisms of mitochondrial genome integrity in familial and idiopathic Parkinson's diseaseR01NS119528 · NINDS · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI SANDERS, LAURIE H · 2020 to 2024
$2.9M
Understanding environmental mitochondrial healthR35ES035049 · NIEHS · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI Joel Newman Meyer · 2026 to 2026
$1.0M
NIEHS NIH HHS R35 ES035049NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES021432NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS119528
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rab GTPases orchestrate vesicular trafficking, but their contributions to mitochondrial quality control are not fully defined, despite links to multiple mitochondria-related human diseases. We conducted a family-wide siRNA-based screen using mt-mKeima/YFP-Parkin HeLa cells to identify regulators of depolarization-induced mitophagy. The screen identified several candidate Rabs, and follow-up studies validated Rab12 as a negative regulator of mitophagy. Rab12 knockdown or knockout augments clearance of damaged mitochondria basally and/or after FCCP-induced depolarization, with findings reproduced across distinct cell types. Rab12 depletion increased mitochondrial content, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced mitochondrial DNA damage, without detectable changes in overall cellular bioenergetic capacity. Together, these results indicate that Rab12 restrains mitophagic engagement and its loss permits accumulation of lower-functioning mitochondria that are hypersensitive to mitophagy-inducing stress. Rab12 thus emerges as a novel effector linking vesicular trafficking machinery and mitochondrial homeostasis, with potential implications for neurodegenerative disorders and other Rab-associated diseases.

Identifiers

PMID41959481
PMCPMC13060255

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.