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Updated: Sep 5, 2025

Author Spotlight: Detection of Mitophagy in Caenorhabditis elegans and Mammalian Cells Using Organelle-Specific Dyes
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Author Spotlight: Detection of Mitophagy in Caenorhabditis elegans and Mammalian Cells Using Organelle-Specific Dyes

Published on: May 19, 2023

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Current opinions on mitophagy in fungi

Zi-Fang Shen1,2, Lin Li1, Xue-Ming Zhu1

  • 1State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Autophagy
|July 6, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Mitophagy, the cellular process of degrading damaged mitochondria, is crucial for homeostasis. Its roles in pathogenic fungi, impacting growth and virulence, differ significantly from its functions in mammals and yeast.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Mitophagy is essential for mitochondrial quality control and cellular homeostasis in eukaryotes.
  • While well-studied in mammals and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), its role in pathogenic filamentous fungi remains underexplored.
  • Recent research highlights distinct functions of mitophagy in fungal pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the functions of mitophagy in mitochondrial quality and quantity control.
  • To summarize mitophagy's roles in fungal growth and pathogenesis over the past two decades.
  • To provide new perspectives on mitophagy in the context of fungal pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on mitophagy in fungi.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying mitophagy in various fungal species.
  • Comparison of mitophagy functions across different organisms (mammals, yeast, pathogenic fungi).

Main Results:

  • Mitophagy is vital for maintaining mitochondrial health and cellular balance.
  • In pathogenic fungi, mitophagy influences spore production, vegetative growth, and virulence.
  • These roles diverge from those observed in mammalian cells and model yeasts.

Conclusions:

  • Mitophagy plays multifaceted roles beyond basic mitochondrial quality control, particularly in pathogenic fungi.
  • Understanding mitophagy in fungi offers insights into fungal biology and pathogenesis.
  • Further research into fungal mitophagy can reveal novel therapeutic targets.
Keywords:
Fissionfungimitochondriamitophagypathogenesisquantity and quality control

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