ADL2a, like ADL2b, is involved in the control of higher plant mitochondrial morphology*

A mitochondrial-GFP construct was used to tag mitochondria fluorescently in a T-DNA knockout line for the Arabidopsis dynamin ADL2a. Visualization of mitochondria in vivo demonstrated that disruption of ADL2a affected mitochondrial morphology. Mitochondria in the mutant had a complex morphology; occasionally large spherical organelles could be seen, but, more frequently, the mitochondria adopted a tubular morphology with many constrictions along their length. Mitochondria in the mutant also frequently possessed long protuberances that were named matrixules, extending to many micrometres in length.