Muscle Fly Through

Tiny factories pumping cellular energy, mitochondria are found in huge numbers in active tissues like muscles – but how do they meet different energy needs around the body? Here researchers examine a fruit fly’s leg muscle, using electron microscopy and computer modelling, first to pick out the contours of muscle molecules, then to reconstruct their 3D shape, highlighting individual filaments in different colours. Flying through, we see bean-shaped mitochondria reaching out towards the filaments they supply. Researchers discovered a specific protein, called spalt, helps to coordinate muscle building with growing networks of mitochondria during development, a bit like laying out a power supply for a booming city. This association could give new insights into how our own muscles work, and how our energy needs are met by different patterns of mitochondria.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

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A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Excerpt from a video by Jerome Avellaneda and colleagues
• Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, France
• Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in Nature Communications, April 2021