Tomurcuklanan maya ve meyve sinekleri kullanarak mitokondriyal hastalıkların tedavisi için yeni yaklaşımlar ortaya çıkarılması

The mitochondrion is the compartment of the cell most involved in the conversion of food into energy. Mitochondria contain a small genome (mtDNA) that is highly involved in bioenergetics. Nearly 1 in 5000 people is afflicted with a heritable disease associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, and there are no useful treatments for most mitochondrial disease. Furthermore, as we age, we accumulate significant amount of damage to mtDNA, raising the possibility that mtDNA damage is a major factor in the process of aging. I have performed studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in the fly Drosophila melanogaster directed toward uncovering new approaches to the treatment of diseases caused by mtDNA damage. First, I explored how perturbation of two nutrient-sensing pathways can provide significant benefits to cells lacking a mitochondrial genome. Second, I have provided further evidence that a decrease in cytosolic protein synthesis increases the fitness of cells with catastrophic mtDNA damage. In my thesis, I will discuss my results and their potential application to human disease.