Abstract
Mitochondrial membrane potential is highly dependent on coupled as well as uncoupled respiration. While brown adipose tissue (BAT) mediates non-shivering thermogenesis (NST), a highly adaptive bioenergetic process critical for energy metabolism, the relationship of coupled and uncoupled respiration in thermogenic adipocytes remains complicated. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-mediated proton leak is the primary driver of NST, but recent studies have shown that oxidative phosphorylation may be an underappreciated contributor to UCP1-dependent NST. Here, we highlight the role of ATP synthase for BAT thermogenesis and discuss the implications of fine-tuning adrenergic signaling in brown adipocytes by the protein inhibitory factor 1 (IF1). We conclude by hypothesizing future directions for mitochondrial research, such as investigating the potential role of IF1 for mitochondrial substrate preference, structural dynamics, as well as its role in cell fate decision and differentiation.