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Updated: Jun 15, 2025

Microfluidics-Assisted Selective Depolarization of Axonal Mitochondria
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Microfluidics-Assisted Selective Depolarization of Axonal Mitochondria

Published on: August 4, 2022

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Axonal mitochondria regulate gentle touch response through control of axonal actin dynamics

Sneha Hegde1, Souvik Modi1, Ennis W Deihl2

  • 1Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|August 26, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Mitochondria in neurons control actin dynamics, essential for electrical synapses and gentle touch behavior in C. elegans. This study reveals mitochondria

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Actin dynamics in neuronal processes are crucial for neuronal function but their origins and regulation remain unclear.
  • Mitochondria are known to be vital for cellular energy but their specific roles in regulating neuronal actin dynamics are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of mitochondria in regulating actin dynamics within neuronal processes.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which mitochondria influence actin and its impact on neuronal function and behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized genetic mutants lacking mitochondria (ric-7, mtx-2; miro-1) in C. elegans touch receptor neurons (TRNs).
  • Assessed actin dynamics, Spectrin Membrane Periodic Skeleton (MPS) integrity, and mitochondrial restoration.
  • Examined the localization of gap junction proteins and C. elegans gentle touch response.

Main Results:

  • Mutants lacking axonal mitochondria exhibited a loss of dynamic actin up to ~80 μm.
  • Restoring mitochondria in TRNs rescued dynamic actin in a sod-2 dependent manner.
  • Dynamic actin was found to be necessary and sufficient for gap junction protein localization and the gentle touch response.

Conclusions:

  • Axonal mitochondria locally facilitate actin dynamics via reactive oxygen species, which is essential for electrical synapses and behavior.
  • This study identifies a novel mechanism linking mitochondria, actin dynamics, and neuronal function in vivo.
Keywords:
C. elegansMEC-4METAXINMIROMitochondriaRIC-7SOD-2UNC-9actinplasma membrane proteins

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