vdac1 belongs to the mitochondrial porin family and is expected to share similar biological functions to the other vdac isoforms. of the three isoforms, vdac1 is the main calcium ion transport channel and the most abundantly transcribed. vdac1 is involved in cell metabolism by transporting atp and other small metabolites across the outer mitochondrial membrane (omm) allowing regulation of the tca cycle and, by extension, reactive oxygen species (ros) production. in yeast cells, ros accumulates in response to oxidative stress, which results in impaired mitochondrial function and a “petite” phenotype. however, petite yeast cells exhibit a longer lifespan than wild-type cells and indicate a protective function by vdac1 in similar circumstances, such as aging.