Speaker: Ankur Kumar, Ph.D. graduate candidate in the Bai Lab

Major / Program: Genetics and Genomics

Major professor: GDCB Associate Professor Hua Bai

Title: "Plasmalogen regulates mitochondrial fission and dynamics 
during aging in Drosophila"

Abstract: Aging is associated with progressive alterations in mitochondrial morphology and function, characterized by impaired fission and the accumulation of enlarged mitochondria. While protein regulators of mitochondrial dynamics have been extensively studied, the contribution of membrane lipids—particularly plasmalogens—remains poorly understood.

This study investigates the role of plasmalogens in regulating mitochondrial dynamics using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. We have shown that plasmalogen decline during aging, correlates with reduced mitochondrial fission and increased mitochondrial size. Genetic disruption of plasmalogen synthesis further impairs stress-induced mitochondrial fission.

Mechanistically, plasmalogens facilitate the recruitment of key fission proteins such as Drp1 to mitochondria. Loss of plasmalogens reduces their localization, revealing a lipid-dependent regulation of mitochondrial fission. These findings highlight plasmalogens as critical modulators of mitochondrial dynamics and provide new insight into aging-related cellular dysfunction.