DELE1 promotes translation-associated homeostasis, growth, and survival in mitochondrial myopathy

Abstract Mitochondrial dysfunction causes devastating disorders, including mitochondrial myopathy. Here, we identified that diverse mitochondrial myopathy models elicit a protective mitochondrial integrated stress response (mt-ISR), mediated by OMA1-DELE1 signaling. The response was similar following disruptions in mtDNA maintenance, from knockout of Tfam, and mitochondrial protein unfolding, from disease-causing mutations in CHCHD10 (G58R and S59L). The preponderance of the response was directed at upregulating pathways for aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, the intermediates for protein synthesis, and was similar in heart and skeletal muscle but more limited in brown adipose challenged with cold stress. Strikingly, models with early DELE1 mt-ISR activation failed to grow and survive to adulthood in the absence of Dele1, accounting for some but not all of OMA1’s protection. Notably, the DELE1 mt-ISR did not slow net protein synthesis in stressed striated muscle, but instead prevented loss of translation-associated proteostasis in muscle fibers. Together our findings identify that the DELE1 mt-ISR mediates a stereotyped response to diverse forms of mitochondrial stress and is particularly critical for maintaining growth and survival in early-onset mitochondrial myopathy.