Regulation of PGC-1α, a nodal regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis

Mechanisms responsible for energy management in the cell and in the whole organism require a complex network of transcription factors and cofactors. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) has emerged as a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, thus becoming a crucial metabolic node. We present an overview of the mechanisms by which PGC-1α is regulated, including the transcriptional regulation of PGC-1α expression and the fine-tuning of its final activity via posttranslational modifications.