Mitochondrial Dynamics Is a Distinguishing Feature of Skeletal Muscle Fiber Types and Regulates Organellar Compartmentalization

• Oxidative muscle fibers have elevated rates of mitochondrial fusion
• Mitochondrial fusion responds to the metabolic state of the myofiber
• Mitochondrial proteins are compartmentalized into discrete domains
• The length of mitochondrial domains is dependent on fusion and fission

SummarySkeletal muscle fibers differentiate into specific fiber types with distinct metabolic properties determined by their reliance on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Using in vivo approaches, we find that OXPHOS-dependent fibers, compared to glycolytic fibers, contain elongated mitochondrial networks with higher fusion rates that are dependent on the mitofusins Mfn1 and Mfn2. Switching of a glycolytic fiber to an oxidative IIA type is associated with elongation of mitochondria, suggesting that mitochondrial fusion is linked to metabolic state. Furthermore, we reveal that mitochondrial proteins are compartmentalized to discrete domains centered around their nuclei of origin. The domain dimensions are dependent on fiber type and are regulated by the mitochondrial dynamics proteins Mfn1, Mfn2, and Mff. Our results indicate that mitochondrial dynamics is tailored to fiber type physiology and provides a rationale for the segmental defects characteristic of aged and diseased muscle fibers.

Graphical AbstractFigure optionsDownload high-quality image (250 K)Download as PowerPoint slide