The post-translational regulation of BNIP3L and BNIP3 is disrupted in mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome 13 (MTDPS13), a multi-systemic disorder caused by mutations in the FBXL4 gene and characterized by elevated mitophagy and mitochondrial DNA/mtDNA depletion in patient fibroblasts. This evidence concerns the gene BNIP3 and Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, encephalomyopathic form with variable craniofacial anomalies.