Mitochondria elongation is mediated through SIRT1-mediated MFN1 stabilization

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that change size and morphology by fusing together or dividing through fission. In response to cellular cues, signaling cascades may post-translationally modify mitochondria-shaping proteins, which lead to a change in mitochondria morphology. Here we show that nicotinamide (NAM), an inhibitor of sirtuin deacetylases, promotes degradation of mitochondria fusion protein mitofusin 1 (MFN1), suggesting that acetylation status of MFN1 is important for its protein stability. TIP60 but not PCAF acetyltransferase caused a reduction of MFN1 level. Meanwhile, siRNA-mediated knockdown of SIRT1 deacetylase caused a significant reduction of MFN1 whereas over-expression of SIRT1 increased its level in 293T cells. In vitro acetylation experiments showed that TIP60 increased the acetylation of MFN1 that was abolished by co-existence of SIRT1. Notably, MFN1 and SIRT1 levels were accumulated, along with mitochondria elongation under hypoxic conditions. Thus, the data suggest that mitochondria elongation under hypoxic condition is regulated through SIRT1-mediated MFN1 deacetylation and accumulation. The data provide an insight in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis through mitochondria morphological change.