Nature Genetics - Analysis of 14,106 tumor genomes highlights recurrent mutations in mitochondrial ribosomal RNA encoded within the mitochondrial genome. Mutations occur at hotspot positions and...

Mitophagy is a crucial quality control process that preserves metabolic efficiency by selectively targeting damaged mitochondria for removal. Given the high metabolic demand of pancreatic β cells’ insulin secretion, disruption of mitophagy contributes to the mitochondrial dysfunction and β cell failure that are a common feature of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (T1D and T2D). We review the impact of mitophagy on β cell responses to (patho)physiologic stressors that underlie the development of T1D and T2D. We examine how β cells engage mitophagy in the adaptive response to metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative damage. We also dissect the importance of ubiquitin- and receptor-mediated mitophagy, methodological advances to quantify mitophagy in β cells, and ongoing efforts to pharmacologically target mitophagy to preserve β cell health and improve glycemic control.

Mitophagy, the selective degradation of mitochondria, has been thought to occur via macroautophagy. Here, the authors present data indicating that microautophagy also mediates mitophagy in macrophages...