University of Vienna researchers elucidated distinct mechanisms by which transmembrane cargo receptors initiate mitophagy, the selective degradation of mitochondria linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. The study revealed hierarchical flexibility involving recruitment of key autophagy complexes, diverging from previously studied soluble receptor pathways. These findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, deepen understanding of intracellular quality control and provide molecular targets for therapeutic development against mitochondrial dysfunction and associated neurotoxicity in Parkinson’s and related disorders.