title: Analysis of mitochondrial structure and function in the Drosophila larval musculature.
abstract: Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that change their architecture in normal physiological conditions. Mutations in genes that control mitochondrial fission or fusion, such as dynamin-related protein (Drp1), Mitofusins 1 (Mfn1) and 2 (Mfn2), and Optic atrophy 1 (Opa1), result in neuropathies or neurodegenerative diseases. It is increasingly clear that altered mitochondrial dynamics also underlie the pathology of other degenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, understanding mitochondrial distribution, shape, and dynamics in all cell types is a prerequisite for developing and defining treatment regimens that may differentially affect tissues. The majority of Drosophila genes implicated in mitochondrial dynamics have been studied in the adult indirect flight muscle (IFM). Here, we discuss the utility of Drosophila third instar larvae (L3) as an alternative model to analyze and quantify mitochondrial behaviors. Advantages include large muscle cell size, a stereotyped arrangement of mitochondria that is conserved in mammalian muscles, and the ability to analyze muscle-specific gene function in mutants that are lethal prior to adult stages. In particular, we highlight methods for sample preparation and analysis of mitochondrial morphological features.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States.
authors.forename: Zong-Heng
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States. Electronic address: geisbrechte@ksu.edu.
authors.forename: Erika R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Geisbrecht
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins
keywords: Drosophila; Larval musculature; Mitochondria