Taoka, H., Murakawa, T., Kawaguchi, K., Koizumi, M., Kaminishi, T., Sakamaki, Y., Tanaka, K., Harada, A., Inoue, K., Kanki, T., Ohkawa, Y., Fujita, N. (2025). Transcriptional dynamics uncover the role of BNIP3 in mitophagy during muscle remodeling in Drosophila.  eLife 14(): RP105834.

FBrf0263175

Research paper

Differentiated muscle cells contain myofibrils and well-organized organelles, enabling powerful contractions. Muscle cell reorganization occurs in response to various physiological stimuli; however, the mechanisms behind this remodeling remain enigmatic due to the lack of a genetically trackable system. Previously, we reported that a subset of larval muscle cells is remodeled into adult abdominal muscle through an autophagy-dependent mechanism in Drosophila. To unveil the underlying mechanisms of this remodeling, we performed a comparative time-course RNA-seq analysis of isolated muscle cells with or without autophagy. It revealed both transcriptional dynamics independent of autophagy and highlighted the significance of BNIP3-mediated mitophagy in muscle remodeling. Mechanistically, we found that BNIP3 recruits autophagic machinery to mitochondria through its LC3-interacting motif and minimal essential region, which interact with Atg8a and Atg18a, respectively. Loss of BNIP3 leads to a substantial accumulation of larval mitochondria, ultimately impairing muscle remodeling. In summary, this study demonstrates that BNIP3-dependent mitophagy is critical for orchestrating the dynamic process of muscle remodeling.

PMC12349898 (PMC) (EuropePMC)