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Proteomic analysis of relict mitochondrial organelles of entamoeba histolytica

Reference	BB/C507145/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Jorge Tovar
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Mikhail Soloviev
Institution	Royal Holloway, Univ of London
Department	Biological Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	294,410
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/03/2005
End date	30/11/2008
Duration	45 months

Abstract

The existence of mitochondrial remnant organelles (mitosomes) in protist organisms previously considered the primitive link between protoeukaryotic cells and fully-fledged mitochondrion-containing organisms has fuelled debate as to the early origins of the eukaryotic cell. We have initiated the characterisation of the recently identified mitosomes of Entamoeba histolytica in terms of their protein content, protein targeting mechanisms and ultrastructure but much remains to be discovered about their protein composition and physiological functions. Using powerful protein separation and mass spectrometry techniques, we propose to determine the full protein complement of the E. histolytica mitosome. Protein extracts from highly enriched mitosomal fractions will be proteolytically digested and the resulting peptides analysed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFF) to establish their identity and to gain information regarding their putative functions. A range of proteomic strategies will be employed to catalogue as many mitosomal proteins as technically possible. Cellular localisation and protein-protein interactions of specific mitosomal components will also be investigated to validate their mitosomal nature and to gain a handle on putative functional relationships amongst constitutive proteins. Cataloguing the proteome of these highly derived mitochondrial relict organelles will provide a good indication as to the minimum number of proteins required for the maintenance of a self-replicating, endosymbiosis-derived organelle in a eukaryotic cell.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research Topics	Microbiology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Proteomics and Cell Function (PCF) [2003-2004]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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