MARF and Opa1 control mitochondrial and cardiac function in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Mitochondria interact via actions of outer and inner membrane fusion proteins. The role of mitochondrial fusion in functioning of the heart, where mitochondria comprise ≈30% of cardiomyocyte volume and their intermyofilament spatial arrangement with other mitochondria is highly ordered, is unknown.

Objective

Model and analyze mitochondrial fusion defects in Drosophila melanogaster heart tubes with tincΔ4Gal4-directed expression of RNA interference (RNAi) for mitochondrial assembly regulatory factor (MARF) and optic atrophy (Opa)1.

Methods and results

Live imaging analysis revealed that heart tube-specific knockdown of MARF or Opa1 increases mitochondrial morphometric heterogeneity and induces heart tube dilation with profound contractile impairment. Sarcopla

SUBMITTER: Dorn GW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3337031 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature