The nim1/cdr1 protein kinase is required for an efficient adaptation of cell cycle parameters to changes in nutritional conditions. We have isolated msp1, a new fission yeast member of the dynamin-related large GTPase family, in a two-hybrid screen designed to identify proteins interacting with the nim1 kinase. Msp1 has been shown to be essential for the maintenance of mtDNA and hence for the inheritance of functional mitochondria. We present evidence indicating that niml and mspl proteins physically interact both in vitro and in vivo in fission yeast. These interactions occur through the amino-terminal catalytic domain of nim1 and the carboxy-terminal putative regulatory domain of mspl. These results provide new evidence for the existence of a connection between mitochondrial function and the cell cycle machinery.