Accumulating evidence has shown that dysfunctional mitochondria can be selectively removed by mitophagy. Dysregulation of mitophagy is implicated in the development of neurodegenerative disease and metabolic disorders. How individual mitochondria are recognized for removal and how this process is regulated remain poorly understood. Here we report that FUNDC1, an integral mitochondrialouter-membraneprotein, is a receptor for hypoxia-inducedmitophagy. FUNDC1 interacted with LC3 through its typical LC3-binding motif Y(18)xxL(21), and mutation of the LC3-interaction region impaired its interaction with LC3 and the subsequent induction of mitophagy. Knockdown of endogenous FUNDC1 significantly prevented hypoxia-inducedmitophagy, which could be reversed by the expression of wild-type FUNDC1, but not LC3-interaction-deficient FUNDC1mutants. Mechanistic studies further revealed that hypoxia induced dephosphorylation of FUNDC1 and enhanced its interaction with LC3 for selective mitophagy. Our findings thus offer insights into mitochondrial quality control in mammaliancells.

Liu L, Feng D, Chen G, Chen M, Zheng QX, Song PP, Ma Q, Zhu CZ, Wang R, Qi WJ, Huang L, Xue P, Li BW, Wang XH, Jin HJ, Wang J, Yang FQ, Liu PS, Zhu YS, Sui SF, Chen Q*. (2012) Mitochondrial outer-membrane protein FUNDC1 mediates hypoxia-induced mitophagy in mammalian cells. Nature Cell Biology, 14(2):177-185.