Mitochondria play a key role in providing energy to cells. These organelles are constantly undergoing dynamic processes of fusion and fission that change in stressful conditions. The role of mitochondrial fusion in wheat root cells was studied using Mdivi-1, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial fragmentation protein Drp1. The effect of the inhibitor was studied on mitochondrial dynamics in the roots of wheat seedlings subjected to a wounding stress, simulated by excision. Treatment of the stressed roots with the inhibitor increased the size of the mitochondria, enhanced their functional activity, and elevated their membrane potentials. Mitochondrial fusion was accompanied by a decrease in ROS formation and associated cell damage. Exposure to Mdivi-1 also upregulated genes encoding the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and an energy sensor AMP-dependent protein sucrose non-fermenting-related kinase (SnRK1), suggesting that mitochondrial fusion is associated with a general activation of energy metabolism. Controlling mitochondrial fusion rates could change the physiology of wheat plants by altering the energy status of the cell and helping to mitigate the effects of stress.
Keywords: energy status; fusion; mitochondria; redox metabolism; wheat; wounding.