University of Vienna researchers decoded molecular mechanisms of mitophagy initiation via transmembrane cargo receptors BNIP3 and NIX, unveiling hierarchical flexibility in autophagy machinery. This work, published in Nature Cell Biology, elucidates alternative pathways beyond the canonical PINK1/Parkin route linked to Parkinson’s disease. Findings reveal transmembrane receptors recruit autophagosome biogenesis components through distinct complexes, challenging existing models and offering new therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction.