Team:Hong Kong HKUST/Project/module3

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Protein Trafficking

Overview

In vertebrates, the signal sequence coding region promotes translocation of precursor peptide. In our project, we introduced bacterial enzymes to mammalian cell to modify metabolic pathway. However, unlike bacteria, citric acid cycle in mammalian cells is compartmentalized in mitochondria. The glyoxylate enzymes (AceA and AceB proteins, denoted ACE enzymes) should be targeted to mitochondria for their functionality. To do so, we fused ACE enzymes with Mitochondrial Leader Sequence (MLS). We have constructed and qualitatively and quantitatively characterized Mitochondrial Leader Sequence BioBrick BBa_K1119001.

Mechanism of MLS

MLS is attached to the N-terminal of enzyme, and bind to the receptor protein on mitochondrial membrane, and diffuse to contact site where inner and outer membrane fuse, then bring the ACE enzyme into mitochondria. Afterward, it is be cleaved, leaving the enzyme in mitochondria.

Reference

Alberts, B., Bray, D., Hopkin, K., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., & Walter, P. (2010). Essential cell biology. (3rd ed., p. 505). UK: Garland Science.