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

• Published in: PLoS genetics 2020-10, Vol.16 (10), p.e1008844-e1008844
• Main Authors: Terriente-Felix, Ana, Wilson, Emma L, Whitworth, Alexander J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase; Analysis; Animals; Climbing; Control; Cytoskeletal Proteins - genetics; Disease Models, Animal; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila Proteins - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation - genetics; Genetic aspects; Genotype & phenotype; GTP-Binding Proteins - genetics; Homeostasis; Humans; Influence; Insects; Investigations; Kinases; Life span; Locomotion - genetics; Microscopy; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - genetics; Mitochondria - pathology; Mitochondrial Dynamics - genetics; Mitophagy - genetics; Morphology; Movement disorders; Mutant Proteins - genetics; Mutants; Mutation; Nerve Degeneration - genetics; Nerve Degeneration - pathology; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative diseases; Parkinson Disease - genetics; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Parkinson's disease; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Phosphatidylinositol; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) - genetics; Physiological aspects; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - genetics; PTEN-induced putative kinase; Spermatogenesis; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases - genetics
• ISSN: 1553-7404; 1553-7390; 1553-7404
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008844

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.