Dynamic changes in mitochondrial shape and size are vital for mitochondrial health and for tissue development and function. Adult Drosophila indirect flight muscles contain densely packed mitochondria. We show here that mitochondrial fusion is critical during early muscle development (in pupa) and that silencing of the outer mitochondrial membrane fusion gene, Marf, in muscles results in smaller mitochondria that are functionally defective. This leads to abnormal muscle development resulting in muscle dysfunction in adult flies. However, post-developmental silencing of Marf has no obvious effects on mitochondrial and muscle phenotype in adult flies, indicating the importance of mitochondrial fusion during early muscle development.

线粒体形状和大小的动态变化对于线粒体健康以及组织发育和功能至关重要。成人果蝇间接飞行肌肉含有密集堆积的线粒体。我们在这里显示线粒体融合在早期肌肉发育（在（中）过程中至关重要，而线粒体外膜融合基因Marf在肌肉中的沉默导致较小的线粒体功能缺陷。这导致异常的肌肉发育，导致成年果蝇肌肉功能障碍。然而，Marf的发育后沉默对成年蝇的线粒体和肌肉表型没有明显影响，表明线粒体融合在早期肌肉发育过程中的重要性。