Drosophila phosphatidylinositol-4 kinase fwd promotes mitochondrial fission and can suppress Pink1/parkin phenotypes

PLoS Genet. 2020 Oct 21;16(10):e1008844. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008844. eCollection 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Balanced mitochondrial fission and fusion play an important role in shaping and distributing mitochondria, as well as contributing to mitochondrial homeostasis and adaptation to stress. In particular, mitochondrial fission is required to facilitate degradation of damaged or dysfunctional units via mitophagy. Two Parkinson's disease factors, PINK1 and Parkin, are considered key mediators of damage-induced mitophagy, and promoting mitochondrial fission is sufficient to suppress the pathological phenotypes in Drosophila Pink1/parkin mutants. We sought additional factors that impinge on mitochondrial dynamics and which may also suppress Pink1/parkin phenotypes. We found that the Drosophila phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIβ homologue, Four wheel drive (Fwd), promotes mitochondrial fission downstream of the pro-fission factor Drp1. Previously described only as male sterile, we identified several new phenotypes in fwd mutants, including locomotor deficits and shortened lifespan, which are accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction. Finally, we found that fwd overexpression can suppress locomotor deficits and mitochondrial disruption in Pink1/parkin mutants, consistent with its function in promoting mitochondrial fission. Together these results shed light on the complex mechanisms of mitochondrial fission and further underscore the potential of modulating mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics in the context of neurodegeneration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Humans
  • Locomotion / genetics
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Mitochondrial Dynamics / genetics
  • Mitophagy / genetics
  • Mutant Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Degeneration / genetics
  • Nerve Degeneration / pathology
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics*
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics*

Substances

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Mutant Proteins
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)
  • phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIbeta, human
  • PINK1 protein, Drosophila
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • DRP1 protein, Drosophila
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • park protein, Drosophila