Actin cages isolate damaged mitochondria during mitophagy.

Abstract

Mitochondrial homeostasis is maintained by removing dysfunctional, ubiquitinated mitochondria from the network via PRKN-dependent mitophagy. MYO6, a unique myosin that moves towards the minus ends of actin filaments, forms a complex with PRKN and is selectively recruited to damaged mitochondria by binding to ubiquitin. On the mitochondrial surface, this myosin motor initiates the assembly of F-actin cages, which serve as a quality control mechanism to isolate dysfunctional mitochondria thereby preventing their refusion with neighboring populations. MYO6 also plays a role in the later stages of the mitophagy pathway by tethering endosomes to actin filaments facilitating mitophagosome maturation and autophagosome-lysosome fusion.