The next great escape – how does mtDNA become extracellular? . Eukaryotic cells contain two genomes, nuclear and mitochondrial (mtDNA). There are myriad conditions in which mtDNA escapes its mitochond

Description

The next great escape – how does mtDNA become extracellular? . Eukaryotic cells contain two genomes, nuclear and mitochondrial (mtDNA). There are myriad conditions in which mtDNA escapes its mitochondrial confines and once outside of its organelle, mtDNA becomes a potent danger signal to the cell, with potentially debilitating consequences to the organism. This project is focused on understanding the biological processes that allow mtDNA escape outside not just the mitochondria, but outside the cell itself. The study builds on discoveries made by a team with world-leading expertise in mitochondrial biology and microscopy – and brings innovative, cutting-edge techniques in cell biology and imaging to investigate a fundamental biological phenomenon for which the cellular mechanism is currently unknown.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lead: Dr Kate McArthur