Dendrite architecture determines mitochondrial distribution patterns in vivo.

Neuronal morphology influences synaptic connectivity and neuronal signal processing. However, it remains unclear how neuronal shape affects steady-state distributions of organelles like mitochondria. In this work, we investigated the link between mitochondrial transport and dendrite branching patterns by combining mathematical modeling with in vivo measurements of dendrite architecture, mitochondrial motility, and mitochondrial localization patterns in Drosophila HS (horizontal system) neurons. In our model, different forms of morphological and transport scaling rules-which set the relative thicknesses of parent and daughter branches at each junction in the dendritic arbor and link mitochondrial motility to branch thickness-predict dramatically different global mitochondrial localization patterns. We show that HS dendrites obey the specific subset of scaling rules that, in our model, lead to realistic mitochondrial distributions. Moreover, we demonstrate that neuronal activity does not affect mitochondrial transport or localization, indicating that steady-state mitochondrial distributions are hard-wired by the architecture of the neuron.

A phosphorylation-regulated eIF3d translation switch mediates cellular adaptation to metabolic stress.

Shutoff of global protein synthesis is a conserved response to cellular stresses. This general phenomenon is accompanied by the induction of distinct gene programs tailored to each stress. Although the mechanisms driving repression of general protein synthesis are well characterized, how cells reprogram the translation machinery for selective gene expression remains poorly understood. Here, we found that the noncanonical 5' cap-binding protein eIF3d was activated in response to metabolic stress in human cells. Activation required reduced CK2-mediated phosphorylation near the eIF3d cap-binding pocket. eIF3d controls a gene program enriched in factors important for glucose homeostasis, including members of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. eIF3d-directed translation adaptation was essential for cell survival during chronic glucose deprivation. Thus, this mechanism of translation reprogramming regulates the cellular response to metabolic stress.