RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Activity regulates a cell type-specific mitochondrial phenotype in zebrafish lateral line hair cells
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.06.17.496604
DO 10.1101/2022.06.17.496604
A1 Andrea McQuate
A1 Sharmon Knecht
A1 David W. Raible
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/06/17/2022.06.17.496604.abstract
AB Hair cells of the inner ear are particularly sensitive to changes in mitochondria, the subcellular organelles necessary for energy production in all eukaryotic cells. There are over thirty mitochondrial deafness genes, and mitochondria are implicated in hair cell death following noise exposure, aminoglycoside antibiotic exposure, as well as in age-related hearing loss. However, little is known about the basic aspects of hair cell mitochondrial biology. Using hair cells from the zebrafish lateral line as a model and serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, we have quantifiably characterized a unique hair cell mitochondrial phenotype that includes (1) a high mitochondrial volume, and (2) specific mitochondrial architecture: multiple small mitochondria apically, and a reticular mitochondrial network basally. This phenotype develops gradually over the lifetime of the hair cell. Disrupting this mitochondrial phenotype with a mutation in opa1 impacts mitochondrial health and function. While hair cell activity is not required for the high mitochondrial volume, it shapes the mitochondrial architecture, with mechanotransduction necessary for all patterning, and synaptic transmission necessary for development of mitochondrial networks. These results demonstrate the high degree to which hair cells regulate their mitochondria for optimal physiology, and provide new insights into mitochondrial deafness.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.